Response Surface Methodology for Optimization of the Ultrasonic Extraction of Polysaccharides from Melaleuca ahemifolia

An ultrasonic-assisted procedure for the extraction of polysaccharides from Melaleuca ahemifolia was investigated using response surface methodology (RSM). A Box–Behnken design (BBD) was employed to investigate the effects of extraction time, ratio of water to raw material and ultrasonic power on the extraction yield of polysaccharides.The statistical analysis indicated that three variables and the quadratic terms had significant effects on the yield (p＜0.05). The experimental data obtained were fitted to a second-order polynomial equation using multiple regression analysis and further analyzed by appropriate statistical methods (ANOVA). The optimum extraction conditions were as follows: extraction time of 21 min, ratio of water to raw material of 40, ultrasonic power of 170 W. Under the optimization conditions, the experimental yield of polysaccharides was 6.194%, which was in good agreement with the predicted value (6.288%).