Effect of Solvents on the Extraction of Phenolic Compounds and Antioxidant Activity in Opuntia ficus indica Mill. Growing in Taif, Saudi Arabia

Journal Article

2026

The prickly pear cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica) is globally recognized for its nutritional and medicinal value. In Saudi Arabia’s Taif region, efforts are focused on valorizing its by-products, such as fruit peels, to align with sustainability goals and create value-added applications in food and nutraceutical industries.

This study investigates the extraction of total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant potential and lipids from Opuntia ficus indica peels sourced from Taif, Saudi Arabia. The peels were oven-dried, ground into powder and extracted with various solvents, including acetone, ethanol and methanol, their mixtures with or without water and acetic acid. TPC was measured using the Folin-Ciocalteu (FC) method and antioxidant potential was assessed via the DPPH• radical scavenging assay.

Results showed that solvent composition significantly impacted phenolic extraction and antioxidant activity, with acetone/ water (70:30, v/v) and methanol/water/acetic acid (70:29.5:0.5, v/v/v) providing the highest bioactive yields. Lipid extraction using n-hexane: ethanol by Soxhlet method achieved the maximum yield. Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis revealed a diverse profile. These findings underline the importance of solvent selection in optimizing the extraction of bioactive compounds and lipids from agricultural by-products, with potential applications in food, nutraceuticals and biofuels.