Which statement best describes maceration?

• A. It uses a percolation through a column.
• B. It involves soaking plant material in solvent until soluble components dissolve.
• C. It is the method preferred for drugs with little cellular material.
• D. It uses extraction by heating under pressure.

Answer: (C)

Maceration is a gentle extraction method where plant material is soaked in a suitable solvent at ambient temperature, allowing soluble constituents to diffuse out as the tissue softens. This long, non-thermal contact is ideal for materials or constituents that are sensitive to heat. The best description is the one that says soaking plant material in solvent until soluble components dissolve, because the essence of maceration is the dissolution of soluble substances by soaking, not forcing solvent through a column or applying heat and pressure. The idea that it’s preferred for materials with little cellular content isn’t a defining feature of maceration; the method is defined by soaking and solubilizing constituents, not by the amount of cellular material.