Enhanced Production of Phenolic Compounds from Pumpkin Leaves by Subcritical Water Hydrolysis

Enhanced production of individual phenolic compounds by subcritical water hydrolysis (SWH) of pumpkin leaves was investigated at various temperatures ranging from 100 to $220^{\circ}C$ at 20 min and at various reaction times ranging from 10 to 50 min at $160^{\circ}C$. Caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, and gentisic acid were the major phenolic compounds in the hydrolysate of pumpkin leaves. All phenolic compounds except gentisic acid showed the highest yield at $160^{\circ}C$, but gentisic acid showed the highest yield at $180^{\circ}C$. The cumulative amount of individual phenolic compounds gradually increased by 48.1, 52.2, and $78.4{\mu}g/g$ dry matter at $100^{\circ}C$, $120^{\circ}C$, and $140^{\circ}C$, respectively, and then greatly increased by $1,477.1{\mu}g/g$ dry matter at $160^{\circ}C$. The yields of caffeic acid and ferulic acid showed peaks at 20 min, while those of cinnamic acid, p-coumaric acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, and procatechuic acid showed peaks at 30 min. Antioxidant activities such as 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and ferric reducing antioxidant power values gradually increased with hydrolysis temperature and ranged from 6.77 to 12.42 mg ascorbic acid equivalents/g dry matter and from 4.25 to 8.92 mmol $Fe^{2+}$/100 g dry matter, respectively. Color $L^*$ and $b^*$ values gradually decreased as hydrolysis temperature increased from $100^{\circ}C$ to $140^{\circ}C$. At high temperatures ($160^{\circ}C$ to $220^{\circ}C$), L* and b* values decreased suddenly. The $a^*$ value peaked at $160^{\circ}C$ and then decreased as temperature increased from $160^{\circ}C$ to $220^{\circ}C$. These results suggest that SWH of pumpkin leaves was strongly influenced by hydrolysis temperature and may enhanced the production of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activities.