Optimization of the Extraction of Alpinia oxyphylla Essence Oil in Supercritical Carbon Dioxide

The essence oil of the Alpinia oxyphylla seed has been used as a vasodilatatory and analgesic agent in pharmacology. The extraction of the essence oil in supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) from Alpinia oxyphylla seeds was investigated. Small particles were obtained after breaking open, sieving, and drying from the Alpinia oxyphylla seeds. The small particles were placed in a 5-L extraction tank in a temperature-controlled system. The CO2 flow rate of the system was set at 1 L/min in this study. Response surface methodology with a three-factor and three-level Box-Behnken experimental design was used to evaluate the effects of the reaction parameters such as extraction time (1, 2, 3 h), temperature (45, 55, 65 °C), and pressure (20, 30, 40 MPa), on the extraction yield of the essence oil from Alpinia oxyphylla seeds. The results indicate that the extraction pressure was the most important parameter affecting the yield of the essence oil. A model for the estimation of the yield was developed. Based on the analysis of ridge max, the optimal extraction conditions were established as an extraction time of 2.8 h, a temperature of 67.5 °C, and a pressure of 28.5 MPa, with an expected yield of 2.78%. Extraction of Alpinia oxyphylla essence oil in SC-CO2 under these optimal conditions was conducted, and a yield of 2.77 ± 0.19% was obtained.