EXTRACTION OF BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS FROM MUÑA (Minthostachys mollis) USING COLD PLASMA-ACTIVATED WATER

This study evaluated the use of cold plasma-activated water (CPAW) as an alternative and sustainable solvent for the extraction of bioactive compounds from muña (Minthostachys mollis), an Andean aromatic plant widely used in traditional medicine for its digestive, antioxidant, and antimicrobial effects. The application of green technologies, such as cold plasma, has attracted growing interest because it offers clean processes that do not use toxic reagents and have low energy consumption, in line with the principles of sustainable chemistry. CPAW was generated by surface dielectric barrier discharge (DBSD) for 5, 10, 20, and 30 min and subsequently used in the preparation of aqueous extracts from muña, which were compared to those obtained by conventional maceration in distilled water. The total phenolic compound content, flavonoids, antioxidant activity (using the DPPH and ABTS methods), and color parameters of the extracts obtained were determined. The best results were achieved with CPAW treated for 20 min (PAW-20), which presented 10.57 ± 0.27 mg GAE/g of phenolic compounds and 6.63 ± 0.01 mg CE/g of flavonoids (dry basis), values higher than those obtained with maceration for the same time (7.12 ± 0.35 mg GAE/g and 4.54 ± 0.10 mg CE/g, respectively). In general, all plasma activation times resulted in greater extraction efficiency compared to traditional maceration, with no significant differences in color parameters (p > 0.05). The higher efficiency observed was attributed to the combined action of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species generated by the plasma, capable of modifying the surface structure of the plant matrix, facilitating the release of bioactive compounds. These results highlight the potential of cold plasma-activated water as an effective and promising green technology for the valorization of muña and other Andean medicinal plants, contributing to the development of sustainable processes for obtaining natural ingredients.