Separation and Purification of Three Flavonoids from Helichrysum arenarium (L.) Moench by HSCCC

Following an initial clean-up step on a Sephadex LH-20 column, high-speed countercurrent chromatography was successfully applied to the isolation and purification of three flavonoids from a crude sample of Helichrysum arenarium (L.) Moench. HSCCC was performed with a two-phase solvent system composed of ethyl acetate–water (1:1, v/v). Naringenin-7-O-β-d-glycoside (2.3 mg), isoquercitrin (3.5 mg), and astragalin (6.7 mg), with purities of 96.05%, 93.63%, 95.23%, respectively, were separated from 160 mg of crude sample in a one-step separation. The structure identification was by ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR.     

Simultaneous Isolation and Purification of Mollugin and Two Anthraquinones from Rubia cordifolia by HSCCC

A preparative high-speed countercurrent chromatography (HSCCC) method for isolation and purification of three bioactive components, tectoquinone; 1-hydroxy-2-methylanthraquinone and mollugin from the Chinese medicinal plant Rubia cordifolia was successfully established. With a two-phase solvent system composed of light petroleum/ethanol/diethyl ether/water (5:4:3:1, v/v), 10 mg tectoquinone, 19 mg 1-hydroxy-2-methylanthraquinone and 16 mg mollugin were obtained from 100 mg of the crude petroleum extract in a one-step separation at a purity of 98.8, 95.8 and 98.3%, respectively. The structures of mollugin and anthraquinones were identified by ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR.     

Use of pH-Zone Refining Countercurrent Chromatography for Preparative Separation of Fangchinoline and Tetrandrine from Stephania tetrandra

pH-Zone-refining countercurrent chromatography with a multilayer coil planet centrifuge has been successfully used for separation of fangchinoline and tetrandrine from crude extracts of Stephania tetrandra. The two target compounds were completely resolved by use of the two-phase solvent system petroleum ether (60–90 °C)–ethyl acetate–methanol–water 5:5:1:9 (v/v), with 10 mm triethylamine in the organic stationary phase and 5 mm hydrochloric acid in the aqueous mobile phase. Separation of 3.5 g sample yielded 126 mg fangchinoline (LC purity >93%) and 249 mg tetrandrine (LC purity >95%). The structures of the compounds were confirmed by use of electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and ¹H NMR.     

Separation and Identification of Ergosta-4,6,8(14),22-tetraen-3-one from Ganoderma atrum by High-Speed Counter-Current Chromatography and Spectroscopic Methods

High speed counter-current chromatography in semi-preparative scale was used to separate and purify ergosta-4,6,8(14),22-tetraen-3-one from Ganoderma atrum, a famous traditional Chinese medicine. A two-phase solvent system composed of a mixture of n-hexane–ethanol–water (6: 5: 1, v/v/v) was used and the separation conditions were optimized. In a typical run in less than 400 min, 100 mg of samples can be separated to yield 14 mg of ergosta-4,6,8(14),22-tetraen-3-one with 99.1% purity. The structure of this compound was elucidated by UV, EI-MS, ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR.     

Preparative Isolation and Purification of Two Phenylpropanoids from Daphne giraldii Nitsche by HSCCC

Preparative high-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC) was successfully applied to purify phenylpropanoids from the stem and root bark of Daphne giraldii Nitsche, a traditional Chinese medicine. Their structures were identified on the basis of ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR technology. The two-phase solvent system composed of n -hexane–ethyl acetate–methanol–water (2: 3: 0.5: 4, v/v/v/v) was selected for HSCCC. A total of 8.0 mg woonenoside XI (1) and 18.0 mg daphnetin (2) were obtained in one-step separation from 200 mg of the crude extract with purity of 96.0 and 99.1%, respectively, as determined by LC. And the major compound (2) showed antithrombotic activity in vitro.     

Separation and Purification of Baishouwubenzophenone, 4-Hydroxyacetophenone and 2,4-Dihydroxyacetophenone from Cynanchum auriculatum Royle ex Wight by HSCCC

A preparative high-speed counter-current chromatography method for isolation and purification of three acetophenones, baishouwubenzophenone, 4-hydroxyacetophenone and 2,4-dihydroxyacetophenone from the Chinese medicinal plant Cynanchum auriculatum Royle ex Wight was successfully established. With a two-phase solvent system composed of light petroleum (b.p. 60–90 °C)–ethyl acetate–methanol–water (4:9:6:6, v/v), about 20.2 mg compound 1, 35.0 mg compound 2 and 8.3 mg compound 3, each at over 95% purity as determined by LC, were obtained in one-step elution from 400 mg of the ethanol extract. The structures of these compounds were identified by UV, IR, ESI-MS, ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. Among them, compounds 2,4-dihydroxyacetophenone and 4-hydroxyacetophenone were obtained from C. auriculatum for the first time.     

Separation and purification of six compounds from the flowers of Cerasus yedoensis (Matsum.) by high-speed countercurrent chromatography in stepwise elution mode

Six compounds from the flower of Cerasus yedoensis (Matsum.) were successfully isolated by high-speed countercurrent chromatography (HSCCC) and preparative high performance liquid chromatography using stepwise elution with a pair of two-phase solvent systems composed of ethyl acetate–n-butanol–formic acid–water at volume ratio of 4:1.5:0.15:5 and ethyl acetate–ethanol–formic acid–water at volume ratio of 4:1:0.15:5 for the first time. This separation process produced (a) 141 mg of 1-O-caffeoyl-β-D-glucopyranoside, (b) 28 mg of p-coumaric acid glucoside, (c) 13 mg of chlorogenic acid, (d) 21 mg of quercetin-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, (e) 19 mg of kaempferol 3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, and (f) 25 mg of caffeic acid from 400 mg of crude sample with the purities of 96.51, 98.82, 94.96, 99.01, 82.51, and 82.45%, respectively. MS, ¹H NMR, and ¹³C NMR analyses were used for the chemical structure identification.     

Isolation and Purification of Highly Polar Antioxidants from Chirita longgangensis by Combination of Macroporous Resin and HSCCC

An efficient and simple method to isolate and purify highly polar antioxidants from the antioxidant active site of Chirita longgangensishas been established. Firstly, the antioxidant active site was enriched with D101 macroporous resin, and then high-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC) was used with the two-phase solvent system ethyl acetate–n-butanol–methanol–water (5:0.1:0.5:4.5, v/v) to obtain four antioxidants in one step. They were identified as plantainoside D (28.4 mg), plantainoside B (9.5 mg), calcedarioside B (18.1 mg) and calcedarioside A (16.7 mg) by analysis of electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra. The purities were all above 97 % as determined by HPLC. The inhibiting effects of the crude extracts, enriched fraction and the obtained compounds on superoxide anion radical, hydroxyl radical and hydrogen peroxide were determined by different chemiluminescence (CL) systems. The result shows that all of them have good antioxidant activity. However, the sequence of antioxidant abilities among compounds I–IV was different when assayed by different CL systems (superoxide anion radical, hydroxyl radical, and hydrogen peroxide). This is the first report on preparative isolation and purification of antioxidants from C. longgangensis by HSCCC combined with macroporous resin and their inhibition of free radical-induced luminol chemiluminescence.     

Simultaneous Separation of Four Flavonoids and Two Astragalosides from Radix Astragali by Semi-Preparative LC

An effective method for simultaneous separation of four flavonoids and two astragalosides was developed by semi-preparative high-performance liquid chromatography in this work. A crude sample was firstly cleaned-up from ethanol aqueous extract of Radix Astragali by LS-300B resin-based column chromatography and was further isolated by semi-preparative LC with a gradient elution of water–methanol. Six compounds including calycosin (3.5 mg), formononetin (2.6 mg), (6aR,11aR)-10-hydroxy-3,9-dimethoxypterocarpan (2.6 mg), (3R)-7,2′-dihydroxy-3′,4′-dimethoxyisoflavan) (2.0 mg), astragaloside I (5.4 mg) and astragaloside II (9.8 mg) were obtained with a recovery of 67.8, 77.2, 88.4, 85.3, 62.1 and 57.9%, respectively. Their chemical structures were confirmed by MS and NMR analysis. This study developed an effective and rapid method for simultaneous separation of multiple components from Radix astragali.     

Separation and Identification of Ergosta-4,6,8(14),22-tetraen-3-one from Ganoderma atrum by High-Speed Counter-Current Chromatography and Spectroscopic Methods

High speed counter-current chromatography in semi-preparative scale was used to separate and purify ergosta-4,6,8(14),22-tetraen-3-one from Ganoderma atrum, a famous traditional Chinese medicine. A two-phase solvent system composed of a mixture of n-hexane–ethanol–water (6: 5: 1, v/v/v) was used and the separation conditions were optimized. In a typical run in less than 400 min, 100 mg of samples can be separated to yield 14 mg of ergosta-4,6,8(14),22-tetraen-3-one with 99.1% purity. The structure of this compound was elucidated by UV, EI-MS, ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR.

     

One-Step Purification of Resveratrol and Polydatin from Polygonum cuspidatum (Sieb. & Zucc.) by Isocratic Hydrogen Bond Adsorption Chromatography on Cross-Linked 12% Agarose

Resveratrol and polydatin (piceid), the major active components of the traditional Chinese medicinal herb Polygonum cuspidatum (Sieb. & Zucc.), have been separated and purified from crude root extracts in one step by isocratic hydrogen bond adsorption chromatography on cross-linked 12% agarose (Superose? 12 HR 10/30). Separation was achieved by step-wise elution with mobile phases composed of mixtures of ethanol and acetic acid: 0–75 mL, 10% ethanol, 10% acetic acid; 75–150 mL, 20% ethanol, 20% acetic acid; 150–250 mL, 30% ethanol, 30% acetic acid. At a sample load of 40 mg crude extract dissolved in 0.5 mL mobile phase (corresponding to a load of 1.7 mg mL^?1 gel) a resveratrol purity of about 96% with a recovery of 61% was obtained by proper peak cutting.     

Preparative Isolation of Imperatorin, Oxypeucedanin and Isoimperatorin from a Traditional Chinese Herb Using a HSCCC Strategy Based on Optimization of Rapid Flow Rate

Preparative high-speed counter-current chromatography has been used successfully for the isolation and purification of imperatorin, oxypeucedanin and isoimperatorin from traditional Chinese herb “bai zhi”—Angelica dahurica (Fisch. ex Hoffm) Benth. et Hook using high-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC). This was achieved in two stages. The first stage used a high flow HSCCC protocol with a two-phase solvent system composed of n-hexane–ethyl acetate–methanol–water (HEMW) with volume ratios of 5:5:5:5, v/v which isolated isoimperatorin but co-eluted imperatorin and oxypeucedanin. The second stage used HEMW 5:5:4:6, v/v at low flow rate to resolve the co-eluted components from the first stage. The flow rate was optimized by preparative HSCCC. 300 mg of the crude extract was separated, yielding 18.5 mg of imperatorin, 8.3 mg of oxypeucedanin and 9.8 mg of isoimperatorin all at a high purity of over 98%.     

Identification and Characterization of the Yellow Pigment Synthesized by Cupriavidus sp. USMAHM13

Microbial pigments are gaining intensive attention due to increasing awareness of the toxicity of synthetic colours. In this study, a novel polymer-producing bacterium designated as Cupriavidus sp. USMAHM13 was also found to produce yellow pigment when cultivated in nutrient broth. Various parameters such as temperature, pH and ratio of culture volume to flask volume were found to influence the yellow pigment production. UV-Visible, Fourier transform infrared and ¹³C-nuclear magnetic resonance analyses revealed that the crude yellow pigment might probably represent new bioactive compound in the carotenoid family. The crude yellow pigment also exhibited a wide spectrum of antimicrobial activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria with their inhibition zones and minimal inhibitory concentrations ranged from 25 to 38 mm and from 0.63 to 2.5 mg/ml, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the identification and characterization of yellow pigment produced by bacterium belonging to the genus Cupriavidus.     

Preparative Isolation and Purification of Flavonoids and Protocatechuic Acid from Sea Buckthorn Juice Concentrate (Hippophaë rhamnoides L. ssp. rhamnoides) by High-Speed Counter-Current Chromatography

High-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC)—a support free all liquid–liquid chromatography technique—has been successfully used for the preparative isolation of isorhamnetin 3-O-β-d-glucoside, isorhamnetin 3-O-β-rutinoside, quercetin 3-O-β-d-glucoside, syringetin 3-O-β-d-glucoside and protocatechuic acid from sea buckthorn juice concentrate (Hippophaë rhamnoides L. ssp. rhamnoides, Elaeagnaceae). The preparative HSCCC instrument was a multilayer coil planet centrifuge equipped with three preparative coils. Separation was performed with a two phase solvent system (n-hexane–n-butanol–water, 1:1:2 v/v/v) in ‘head-to-tail’ mode. Each injection of 4.1 g crude ethyl acetate extract yielded isorhamnetin 3-O-β-d-glucoside (95 mg), isorhamnetin 3-O-β-rutinoside (10 mg), quercetin 3-O-β-d-glucoside (5 mg), and protocatechuic acid (34 mg) with purities >98%. The flavonoid syringetin 3-O-β-d-glucoside (2 mg) was a novel compound for H. rhamnoides. Chemical structures of all compounds were determined by HPLC–ESI–MS–MS, 1D-NMR (¹H, ¹³C, DEPT 135) spectroscopy and for elucidation of glycosidic linkages 2D-NMR (HMBC) spectroscopy was used.     

Simultaneous Analysis of Herbicide Metribuzin and Quizalofop-p-ethyl Residues in Potato and Soil by GC-ECD

A robust and sensitive method was developed for the simultaneous analysis of metribuzin and quizalofop-p-ethyl residues in potato and soil, based on solid-phase extraction (SPE) coupled to capillary gas chromatography with electron capture detector (GC-ECD). Residues of two herbicides were extracted from potato and soil with acetone and methanol–water, followed by SPE to remove coextractives, before analysis by GC-ECD. SPE procedures were performed on Florisil cartridges (500 mg, 3 mL), the analytes from potato and soil matrix were eluted with petroleum ether-acetic ether (9:1 v/v, 5 mL) and petroleum ether-acetic ether (8:2 v/v, 2 mL), respectively. Limits of quantification of the method were 0.01 mg kg^?1, and the mean recoveries ranged from 72.9 to 109.5% with relative standard deviation ranging from 0.7 to 9.2% at the three spike levels (0.01, 0.1, and 0.5 mg kg^?1). The proposed method was successfully applied to the analysis of metribuzin and quizalofop-p-ethyl residues in potato and soil samples from an experimental field. Direct confirmation of the analytes in real samples was achieved by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS).     

Simultaneous Quantitation of Paracetamol, Pseudoephedrine and Chlorpheniramine in Dog Plasma by LC-MS-MS

A simple, rapid and sensitive liquid chromatography/electrospray tandem mass spectrometry quantitative detection method, using amantadine as internal standard, was developed for the simultaneous analysis of paracetamol, pseudoephedrine and chlorpheniramine concentrations. Analytes were extracted from plasma samples by liquid–liquid extraction with n-hexane–dichloromethane–2-propanol (2:1:0.1, v/v), separated on a C18 reversed-phase column with 0.1% formic acid–methanol (40:60, v/v) and detected by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry in positive multiple reaction monitoring mode. Calibration curves for plasma were linear over the concentration range 10–10,000 ng mL^?1 of paracetamol, 2–2,000 ng mL^?1 of pseudoephedrine and 0.2–200 ng mL^?1 of chlorpheniramine. The method has a lower limit of quantitation of 10 ng mL^?1 for paracetamol, 2.0 ng mL^?1 for pseudoephedrine and 0.2 ng mL^?1 for chlorpheniramine. Recoveries, precision and accuracy results indicate that the method was reliable within the analytical range, and the use of the internal standard was very effective for reproducibility by LC-MS-MS. This method is feasible for the evaluation of pharmacokinetic profiles of a novel multicomponent sustained release formulation containing 325 mg of paracetamol, 30 mg of pseudoephedrine hydrochloride and 2 mg of chlorpheniramine maleate. It is the first time the pharmacokinetic evaluation of a novel sustained-action formulation containing paracetamol, pseudoephedrine and chlorpheniramine has been elucidated in vivo using LC-MS-MS.     

Hydroxypropylcellulose-aceclofenac conjugates: high covalent loading design, structure characterization, nano-assemblies and thermal kinetics

This article presents synthesis of novel macromolecular prodrugs of aceclofenac (an anti-inflammatory drug) onto hydroxypropylcellulose (HPC). The HPC-aceclofenac conjugates were prepared using an acylating agent 1,1′-carbonyldiimidazole (CDI) under homogenous reaction conditions. Aceclofenac was first activated by using CDI to form its N-acylimidazole. The N-acylimidazole of aceclofenac was then reacted with HPC polymer at 80 °C for 24 h. Highly pure prodrugs of aceclofenac were synthesized with a wide range of moderate to high degree of substitution (DS 0.41–2.12) as calculated by ¹H NMR spectroscopy. The UV spectroscopic analysis has also revealed that the active drug aceclofenac was found in different conjugates from 28 to 67 mg/100 mg of HPC-aceclofenac conjugates which are in good agreement with DS calculated by ¹H NMR spectroscopy. The gel permeation chromatography showed unimodal absorption that indicates no significant degradation in polymer chains during the reaction. The macromolecular prodrugs of aceclofenac were characterized using different spectroscopic and chromatographic techniques. The thermal analysis has revealed that HPC-aceclofenac conjugates (prodrugs) are 92 and 96 °C more stable than pure aceclofenac regarding their initial (Tdi) and maximum degradation temperatures (Tdm), respectively. The activation energy (Ea) and frequency factor (Z) of the degradation reactions were evaluated using Friedman, Broido and Chang methods. Degradation followed first order (n) kinetics. Transmission electron microscopy has revealed the formation of sponge like nano aggregates with population size distribution of around 80–150 nm.     

Synthesis,characterization and thermal stability of new dumbbell-shaped isobutyl-substituted POSSs linked by aromatic bridges

Five new dumbbell-shaped polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSSs), in which two identical silicon cages R₇(SiO_1.5)₈ (with R = isobutyl), linked to various aromatic bridges (Ar, Ar–Ar, Ar–O–Ar, Ar–S–Ar and Ar–SO₂–Ar, where Ar = p-C₆H₄) were prepared through a literature method opportunely modified by us to make easier preparation and increase yield, which was higher than 70 % in all cases. The obtained products were the expected ones, as supported by the results of elemental analysis and ¹H NMR spectra. Their resistance to the thermal degradation in both flowing nitrogen and static air atmosphere was checked by degrading samples at 10 °C min^?1 and determining temperatures at 5 % mass loss (T _5%) and residues at 700 °C. The T _5% values in air were lower than the corresponding ones in nitrogen, but the trend among the various POSSs investigated was the same in both used atmospheres, with the most high value for the compound having the Ar–O–Ar aromatic bridge. The residues at 700 °C in air of the compounds having not hetero-atoms (O or S) in the aromatic bridge were higher than those in nitrogen, whilst no substantial difference was observed for the other ones.     

Isolation of Chlorogenic Acid from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Flaveria bidentis</Emphasis> (L.) Kuntze by CCC and Synthesis of Chlorogenic Acid-Intercalated Layered Double Hydroxide

Preparative counter-current chromatography (CCC) was successfully used for isolation and purification of chlorogenic acid from Flaveria bidentis (L.) Kuntze with a solvent system composed of ethyl acetate–methanol–water at a volume ratio of 50:1:50, v/v. Using a preparative unit of the CCC centrifuge, about 800 mg of the crude extract was separated, yielding 3.2 mg of chlorogenic acid at a purity of 92.0%. The blood pressure lowering and antivirus chlorogenic acid (C₁₆H₁₈O₉) was intercalated into magnesium–aluminum–layered double hydroxides, which was used as host materials for drug-LDH host-guest supermolecular structures by anion exchange under a nitrogen atmosphere. Chlorogenic acid–LDH is a functional and effective drug. The product chlorogenic acid–LDH has been characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and scanning electron micrographs (SEM). The X-ray diffraction patterns of NO₃ ^? form of LDH and chlorogenic acid–LDH were compared, and the basal d spacing value of NO₃ ^?-LDH layer was 8.75 Å (2θ = 10.100°); however, the basal reflection (003) of chlorogenic acid–LDH shifts to lower 2θ (for 003 reflection: 2θ = 5.119°) that is expanded to 17.25 Å, indicating the intercalation of chlorogenic acid into the interlayer of Mg–Al-LDH. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that chlorogenic acid stability had improved, and scanning electron micrographs showed that the morphology of the chlorogenic acid–LDH was irregular masses of distinctly thicker flakes, which was similar to the morphology of NO₃ ^? form of LDH.     

Proton mobility and copper coordination in polysaccharide- and gelatin-based bioblends and polyblends

Polysaccharide- and gelatin-based bioblends and polyblends were synthesized and characterized by complex impedance spectroscopy, proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). Higher ionic conductivities of 7.9 × 10^?5 S/cm at room temperature and 2.5 × 10^?3 S/cm at 80 °C were obtained for the agar-chitosan polyblends. For all samples, the activation energies, calculated from the Arrhenius plot of ionic conductivity and from the onset of NMR line narrowing, are in the range 0.30–0.86 and 0.38–0.57 eV, respectively. The glass transition temperatures (T _g ^NMR ) varied from 200 to 215 K, depending on the sample composition. The temperature dependence of the ¹H spin–lattice relaxation revealed two distinct proton dynamics. The EPR spectra are characteristic of Cu² ions in tetragonally distorted octahedral sites. Quantitative analysis of the EPR spin Hamiltonian g _|| and A _|| parameters revealed copper ions complexed by nitrogens and oxygens in the samples containing chitosan or gelatin and only by oxygens in agar-based ones. The in-plane π bonding is less covalent for the gelatin and chitosan blends. Results suggest that natural bioblends and polyblends are interesting systems to be used in materials science engineering.