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

Authors

Haixin Sun
Xinya Gu
Baozhu Shi
Tianhua Huang
Junlai Nian
Jidong Sun
Tarun Belwal
Liezhou Zhong, Edith Cowan UniversityFollow
Benu Adhikari
Zisheng Luo

Author Identifier

Liezhou Zhong: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6847-4240

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Title

Food Innovation and Advances

Volume

4

Issue

1

First Page

108

Last Page

115

Publisher

Maximum Academic Press

School

Nutrition and Health Innovation Research Institute / School of Medical and Health Sciences

RAS ID

81801

Funders

Key Research and Development Program of Zhejiang Province (2023C02042)

Comments

Sun, H., Gu, X., Shi, B., Huang, T., Nian, J., Sun, J., ... & Luo, Z. (2025). Extraction of triterpenoids from Carya cathayensis Sarg. husks and enhancement of their antibacterial properties by loading into chitosan aerogels. Food Innovation and Advances, 4(1), 108-115. https://doi.org/10.48130/fia-0025-0011

Abstract

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.

DOI

10.48130/fia-0025-0011

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