Carbon dioxide supercritical fluid extracts from yarrow and rose hip herbal dust as valuable source of aromatic and lipophilic compounds

The present study was designed to demonstrate the potential of supercritical extracts from Achillea millefolium and Rosa canina herbal dust, and their mixtures, as a source of valuable aromatic and lipophilic compounds. The supercritical carbon dioxide extraction (SFE-CO₂) was performed at the pressures from 10-30 MPa, providing the total extraction yields (EY) in the range from 0.12 to 10.57%, being the highest when pure R. canina herbal dust was extracted using SFE-CO₂ at 30 MPa for 5 h. Chemical profiles of SFE-CO₂ extracts were determined by GC-MS and GC-FID. Oxygenated monoterpenes and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons were among the most abundant compounds in the extracts produced from A. millefolium and mixtures with a higher share of A. millefolium herbal dust. In the same mixtures, at the pressure of 10 MPa, a cosolvent effect was observed, which provided enhanced extraction of eucalyptol. The major tocol in A. millefolium and R. canina mixtures was α-tocopherol (589.49 mg/L). By investigating the influence of extraction pressure, it has been determined that higher compound recoveries could be obtained at lower pressures. The results clearly demonstrate that SFE-CO₂ extracts of the A. millefolium and R. canina and their herbal dust mixtures are a promising source of valuable compounds to be used in pharmaceutical formulations.