Abstract

Mangosteen pericarp (MP), an abundant agro-food waste in Thailand, can be used to produce polyphenols. In the present work, the effects of bio-based solvents (virgin coconut oil, VCO; propylene glycol, PG; glycerol, and water) in comparison with organic solvents (ethanol and hexane) on extraction and in vitro bioactivities of phenolic compounds from MP were evaluated. Solvents strongly influenced the total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), phenolic profiles, antioxidant activity, antibacterial activity, and antidiabetic activity of the extracts. Overall, α-mangostin and-mangostin were the major phenolic constituents found in all extracts. PG was the optimal solvent yielding the highest TPC and TFC with a broad spectrum of phenolic profiles and rendering the extract with the highest antioxidant activity, antibacterial activity, and antidiabetic activity. However, the antibacterial activity of the extract was enhanced when VCO was used. Thus, bio-based solvents, particularly PG, were suitable for the recovery of active phenolic compounds form MP.