Evaluation of antioxidant, antimicrobial, and α-amylase enzyme inhibition properties of Rosa canina seed extracts prepared with different solvents using maceration and ultrasound-assisted extraction methods

The efficient extraction of bioactive molecules from medicinal plants is strongly related to the solvents and methods used. This study evaluated the impact of solvent selection and extraction methods on the bioactive potential of Rosa canina seed extracts, focusing on antioxidant, antimicrobial, and α-amylase inhibitory activities. Four solvents —dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), ethanol-water (80:20), ethyl acetate, and acetonitrile— were paired with maceration and ultrasonic techniques to generate eight extracts (DMM, DMU, ESM, ESU, EAM, EAU, ACM, ACS). Antioxidant activity was assessed via total phenolic (TPC) and flavonoid (TFC) content, FRAP, DPPH, and ABTS assays. Antimicrobial efficacy was tested against seven microorganisms (Gram+, Gram−, and yeast) using well diffusion and MIC methods, while α-amylase inhibition was quantified via IC50. The ethyl acetate ultrasonic extract (EAU) exhibited the highest TPC (63.86 mg GAE/g) and TFC (210.23 mg QE/g), along with superior antioxidant activity across all assays (P < 0.05). Ethyl acetate maceration (EAM) ranked second, underscoring ethyl acetate’s efficacy. Acetonitrile maceration (ACM) demonstrated the strongest α-amylase inhibition (IC50 = 20.46 mg/mL). All extracts showed notable antimicrobial activity against Aeromonas hydrophila and Klebsiella pneumoniae, though efficacy varied for other strains. DMSO-based extracts (DMM/DMU) consistently underperformed. These findings highlight ethyl acetate (EAU/EAM) as optimal for antioxidant-rich extracts and ACM for enzyme inhibition, positioning Rosa canina seeds as a promising source of natural bioactive compounds for functional food and therapeutic applications.