Extraction of polysaccharides from herbal Scutellaria barbata D. Don (Ban-Zhi-Lian) and their antioxidant activity.

The response surface methodology was employed to study the extraction of polysaccharides from Scutellaria barbata D. Don. The quantitative effects of extraction temperature, time, number and ratio of water to raw material on yield of polysaccharides were investigated with Box-Behnken design. The experimental data were fitted to a second-order polynomial equation using multiple regression analysis and also analyzed using the appropriate statistical methods. By solving the regression equation and analyzing 3D plots, the optimum condition was at extraction temperature 70 °C, time 3h, numbers 3 and ratio of water to raw material 18.5 mL/g. Under these conditions, the experimental polysaccharides yield was 2.43±0.11%, which was in good agreement with the predicted value. The antioxidant activities of the polysaccharides were evaluated in vitro. A potential antioxidant activity of S. barbata polysaccharides provides a scientific basis for the use of this herb in traditional medicine as an antioxidant.