Ultrasound-Microwave Associated Extraction of Anthocyanins From Mulberry and Their Antioxidant and Anticancer Activities

Mulberry anthocyanins (MA) are one of the important bioactive substances in mulberry, the extraction methods of MA are relatively limited, and there are few studies on their antitumor biological activity. This study employs response surface methodology (RSM) combined with single-factor experiments to optimize the extraction conditions for ultrasound-microwave associated extraction (UMAE) of MA. Based on the RSM, the optimal extraction process conditions for mulberry anthocyanins are as follows: solid–liquid ratio of 1:20, ethanol concentration of 80%, and ultrasonic power of 340 W. Under these conditions, the anthocyanin yield reached 5.98 mg/g. Biological activity, cell apoptosis, cell morphology, and cell invasion experiments all demonstrated that mulberry anthocyanins have an inhibitory effect on 4 T1 cells. These findings suggest that the extraction rate of anthocyanins from mulberry can be improved by UMAE, and it has also been demonstrated that mulberry anthocyanins possess notable antitumor activity, highlighting their potential for therapeutic applications. Antioxidant assays revealed that MA obtained via UMAE exhibited significantly stronger scavenging capacities against DPPH·, ·OH, and ABTS· radicals compared to conventional solvent extraction. This enhanced activity may be attributed to milder extraction conditions, which better preserve MA's structural integrity and bioactive properties. Theoretically, these results corroborate that MA possesses remarkable antioxidant potential, consistent with its previously reported antitumor efficacy.