Chromatographic elution process design space development for the purification of saponins in Panax notoginseng extract using a probability‐based approach

A Monte Carlo method was used to develop the design space of a chromatographic elution process for the purification of saponins in Panax notoginseng extract. During this process, saponin recovery ratios, saponin purity, and elution productivity are determined as process critical quality attributes, and ethanol concentration, elution rate, and elution volume are identified as critical process parameters. Quadratic equations between process critical quality attributes and critical process parameters were established using response surface methodology. Then probability‐based design space was computed by calculating the prediction errors using Monte Carlo simulations. The influences of calculation parameters on computation results were investigated. The optimized calculation condition was as follows: calculation step length of 0.02, simulation times of 10 000, and a significance level value of 0.15 for adding or removing terms in a stepwise regression. Recommended normal operation region is located in ethanol concentration of 65.0–70.0%, elution rate of 1.7–2.0 bed volumes (BV)/h and elution volume of 3.0–3.6 BV. Verification experiments were carried out and the experimental values were in a good agreement with the predicted values. The application of present method is promising to develop a probability‐based design space for other botanical drug manufacturing process.