Abstract
To obtain a potential commercial product with floral fragrance and physiological properties from Jasminum sambac flower extracts, enfleurage was conducted for a short time and followed by further extraction through supercritical fluid extraction (SFE). The product extracted through SFE (called 100%SFE) exhibited low physiological activity (including 50.7% antityrosinase activity, 38.6%-45.9% radical scavenging activity, and 6,518-15,003 mg/L half-maximal inhibitory concentration [IC(50)] of antioxidant activity) and an intense jasmine-like flavor but was nontoxic to CCD-996SK and HEMn cells. By contrast, the residue (called RO) exhibited high physiological activity (94.2%-100%), light jasmine-like flavor, and slight cytotoxicity at the concentration of 4,000 mg/L. When 100%SFE and RO were mixed in the ratio 2 : 8, the resultant mixture exhibited 100% antityrosinase activity, >91.3% radical scavenging activity, strong antioxidant activity (IC(50): 273-421 mg/L), high total phenolic content (172.15 mg-GAE/g-extract), noncytotoxicity, and moderately intense jasmine-like flavor; it is also economically competitive. The major antioxidants in these extracts were revealed through gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). Additionally, the composition and quality of fragrance were confirmed through GC-MS and sensory evaluation, respectively. The major fragrance components in the 2 : 8 extract mixture were benzyl acetate, β-pinene, pentadecyl-2-propyl ester, citronellol, jasminolactone, linalool, farnesol, and jasmone. On the basis of the results, we strongly suggest that the 2 : 8 mixture of extracts from J. sambac flowers can be a powerful antioxidant, whitening, and nontoxic ingredient that can be employed in the pharmaceutical, cosmeceutical, and food industries.