LAUSR

Abstract Extracts from mango leaves have been precipitated by a supercritical antisolvent (SAS) process and the phenolic content, size and size distribution of the resulting micro- and nanoparticles have been evaluated. The mango leaves were initially extracted by conventional ethanol extraction at 40 °C. The effects of different parameters on the outcome of the SAS process were evaluated using different concentrations (8–40 mg/mL), pressures (100 and 150 bar), temperatures (35 and 50 °C), extract flow rates (5 and 10 mL extract/min) and supercritical CO 2 (scCO 2 ) flow rates (30 and 40 g CO 2 /min). The antioxidant activity was evaluated by the radical scavenging activity method using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH). Spherical nano- and submicron-particles with diameters in the range 0.04–0.39 μm were obtained with stronger antioxidant activity than the extract. The major compounds found in the extract and the SAS precipitates were mangiferin and benzophenone derivatives such as iriflophenone 3-C-β- d -glucoside and iriflophenone 3-C-(2-O- p -hydroxybenzoyl)-β − d -glucoside.