Propolis, one of the most important bee products, cannot
be used
in its raw form. The efficiency of the bioactive components of propolis
increases with the extraction process. The choice of solvent to be
used in the extraction of propolis is effective in determining the
properties of the extract. Ethanol is the most widely used solvent,
which significantly increases the efficiency of its bioactive components
in the extraction of propolis. Effective nonalcohol-based extraction
techniques have become important since alcohol-based extracts cause
some discomfort and cannot be used in people with alcohol intolerance.
The use of water in propolis extraction is less preferred than ethanol
because it does not thoroughly dissolve the bioactive components.
In this study, the effect of incorporating hydrogen into solvents
(water, ethanol, and methanol) on the extraction of total phenolic
content, total flavonoid content, antioxidant activities, and phenolic
compound profile of the propolis sample was evaluated. Incorporation
of H2 into water, ethanol, and methanol led to an increase
in total phenolic content by 19.08, 5.43, and 12.71% and in the total
flavonoid content by 28.97, 17.13, and 2.06%, respectively. Besides,
the highest increases in 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and
2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS)
scavenging activities were observed in hydrogen-rich water (4.4%)
and hydrogen-rich ethanol (32.4%) compared to their counterparts,
respectively. On the other hand, incorporation of H2 into
different solvents led to significant increases in different phenolics,
and it was observed that the level of change was dependent on the
type of the phenolic compound and the solvent used. This study is
important in terms of using hydrogen-enriched solvents to extract
phenolics from propolis for the first time. Using hydrogen-rich solvents,
specifically hydrogen-rich water, was observed to be an effective
method for the improvement of phytochemical extraction efficiency
in propolis.