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Βιοδραστικά πράσινα εκχυλίσματα από παραπροϊόντα ακτινιδίου Μακεδονίας για την παραγωγή νέων προϊόντων με αντιφλεγμονώδη, αντιοξειδωτικά και αντιθρομβωτικά οφέλη για την υγεία (Bachelor thesis)

Λευκάκη, Μελίνα/ Lefkaki, Melina

The processing of kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa) leads to the production of significant quantities of by-products, such as peel, seeds, and pulp residues, which remain largely underutilized despite their richness in bioactive compounds. Within the framework of the circular economy and the sustainable management of agri-food streams, the present undergraduate thesis investigates the potential for the green valorization of kiwifruit by-products through extraction with green solvents, the use of which is permitted by the European Union for food applications. The study includes, on the one hand, in its Theoretical part, a literature review (2010–2025) on green extraction strategies for bioactive compounds from kiwifruit by-products and, on the other hand, in its Experimental part, a biochemical investigation of the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant health benefits of green extracts of amphiphilic bioactives derived from organic kiwifruit by-products. The extracts were evaluated in terms of their chemical composition and bioactivity using spectrophotometric and analytical techniques (UV–Vis, ATR-FTIR, LC-MS) in combination with experiments on human blood cells (platelets). The total phenolic content (TPC) and total carotenoid content (TCC) were determined by colorimetric methods, while antioxidant capacity was assessed through the DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays. In addition, the antiplatelet and anti-inflammatory activity of the extracts was investigated in vitro using human platelet-rich plasma (hPRP), against the agonists ADP and PAF, through the calculation of IC₅₀ values. The results demonstrated that the ethanolic extracts of kiwifruit by-products are rich in phenolic compounds and carotenoids, possess remarkable antioxidant capacity, and also contain polar lipids with unsaturated fatty acids, while exhibiting significant inhibitory activity against PAF- or ADP-induced platelet aggregation. These findings support the potential valorization of kiwifruit by-products as sources of natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory/anti-aging bioactive compounds for applications in functional foods, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical formulations.