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Abstract
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The pharmaceutical industry’s growing interest in antioxidant compounds leads to a growing demand for
innovative and efficient separation techniques. Recently, deep eutectic solvents have been at the forefront of
developing novel extraction methods. In this study, fatty acid-based deep eutectic solvents were explored for
their adjustable physical-chemical properties and eco-friendly nature in extraction processes. Molecular dynamics
(MD) simulations were employed to investigate the interactions between antioxidant-rich dried roots of
Scutellaria and DESs. Intermolecular interactions were investigated through spatial distribution functions (SDFs),
combined distribution functions (CDFs) derived from radial distribution functions (RDFs) and angular distribution
functions (ADFs), non-bonded interaction energy analyses, and characterization of the hydrogen-bonding
network between the antioxidant molecule and the eutectic solvent components. Furthermore, the influence of
an external electric field (EEF) on these interactions was examined. The results reveal that the EEF markedly
alters the nature and strength of intermolecular interactions, thereby modulating the extraction efficiency.
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