Extraction of triterpenoids from Carya cathayensis Sarg. husks and enhancement of their antibacterial properties by loading into chitosan aerogels

Haixin Sun; Xinya Gu; Baozhu Shi; Tianhua Huang; Junlai Nian; Jidong Sun; Tarun Belwal; Liezhou Zhong; Benu Adhikari; Zisheng Luo

Extraction of triterpenoids from Carya cathayensis Sarg. husks and enhancement of their antibacterial properties by loading into chitosan aerogels

2025

Carya cathayensis Sarg. is widely cultivated in China as a specialized nut crop, and its discarded husks (outer pericarp) are rich in triterpenoids with known antibacterial properties. In this study, triterpenoids were extracted from Carya cathayensis Sarg. husks (CCSHs) using a surfactant-mediated, ultrasound-assisted extraction method optimized via response surface methodology, the optimized extraction yield was 33.92 ± 0.52 mg UAE/g DW. Ab-8 macroporous resin was used to purify the triterpenoids from the crude extracts, achieving a 4.3-fold increase in purity. Mesoporous chitosan aerogels were prepared, and their morphology, pore size, and specific surface area were evaluated using microscopic and nitrogen adsorption methods. These aerogels were then used to adsorb the purified triterpenoids from CCSH extracts, enhancing their antibacterial effect. Growth curves of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus demonstrated that the combination of CCSHs-derived triterpenoids and chitosan aerogel spheres resulted in an enhanced antibacterial effect. This study lays the groundwork for adding value to CCSHs while offering a pathway to develop plant-based antibacterial products.

اظهر المزيد [+]