Polyphenols from Three Invasive Reynoutria Species: Extraction, Characterization, Application

Abstract

Invasive plants can be considered as a significant environmental threat, affecting biodiversity, agriculture, and forestry, which makes their control necessary. At the same time, invasive plant biomass is a valuable resource, and different applications can be demonstrated to support their eradication efforts. The aim of this article is to develop polyphenolic extraction methods from three Reynoutria species, characterize them, and demonstrate invasive plant polyphenol use for plant pigment stabilization using a copigmentation approach. Comparison of different extraction methods of polyphenolics provided an opportunity to increase extraction yields. The extracts were rich in anthraquinone polyphenolics, confirming the application potential of the obtained extracts and Reynoutria species biomass utilization possibilities. Reynoutria polyphenolics can be used to stabilize plant anthocyanins according to the copigmentation mechanism, and the stabilization effect depends on polyphenol concentration and temperature. Thus, invasive plant biomass waste can be used to obtain valuable substances and thus support their eradication efforts.