Sono-oscillatory mobilisation of bound precarthamine from flower florets of dyerʹs saffron

Floral pastes of dyerʹs saffron (Carthamus tinctorius L.) were subjected to machinery vibration by an ultrasonicator in the presence of α- or β-glucosidase and the rate of precarthamine release was examined spectrophotometrically. On sono-oscillating the pastes at 450 kHz for 10 min at 25 ± 1 °C, the release of bound precarthamine was promoted by 19.9% in the presence of α-glucosidase. The supersound effect on the precarthamine release by β-glucosidase was also pronounced, showing a net increment rate of 20.3% on average. The usefulness of supersonic oscillation for obtaining oxygen-labile and pH-sensitive precarthamine was assessed on the basis of the experimental results.