Preparative isolation of terpene trilactones from Ginkgo biloba leaves

This study investigated and compared some techniques for the preparative isolation of terpene trilactones, including ginkgolides (GA and GB, etc.) and bilobalide (BB), from Ginkgo biloba leaves. The crude Ginkgo biloba L. extracts (GBE) were prepared using an extractor with solvent refluxing operated under an optimal extraction condition. The extraction yield was 20-23% and the purity of terpene trilactones was about 1.0-1.4 wt%. Before the isolation operations, the extracts were dissolved in de-ionized water. The isolation procedures included the method of liquid-liquid extraction and the method of column chromatography. For the method of liquid-liquid extraction using ethyl acetate as the organic solvent operated under the optimal extraction conditions, the purity, concentration ratio, and yield of terpene trilactones were 13.5-18.0%, 15-16, and >99%. For the method of column chromatography, XAD-7HP, XAD-4, and C-18 adsorbents with different polarities were used as the packing materials. Only for the XAD-7HP column, a part of more polar impurities was efficiently separated with the majority of terpene trilactones by a proper step-gradient elution, which resulted in an efficient isolation: the purity, concentration ratio, and yield of terpene trilactones were approximately 20, approximately 15, and approximately 80%. In comparison, the XAD-7HP column achieved the highest purity, but at the expense of the yield of terpene trilactones; on the contrary, the liquid-liquid extraction method, achieving the highest yield but with a slightly lower purity, was proved to be superior to the method of column chromatography in the current isolation stage.     

Medicinal Values and Potential Risks Evaluation of Ginkgo biloba Leaf Extract (GBE) Drinks Made from the Leaves in Autumn as Dietary Supplements

Ginkgo tea and ginkgo wine are two familiar Ginkgo biloba leaf extract (GBE) drinks in the form of dietary supplements (DS) used for healthcare in east Asia. Nevertheless, a comprehensive evaluation of their safety and efficacy is still lacking. In this study, GBE drinks were prepared from naturally newly senescent yellow leaves (YL) and green leaves (GL) in autumn. Their total flavonoids, antioxidant capacity and prescribed ingredients were investigated. In brief, the proportions of total flavonoids, total flavonol glycosides (TFs), total terpene trilactones (TTLs) and ginkgolic acids in the GBE drinks all did not meet the standards of worldwide pharmacopoeias. Specifically, the levels of TFs in the ginkgo tea prepared from YL were significantly higher than that prepared from GL. Further analyses revealed a substandard ratio of isorhamnetin/quercetin and an accumulation of leaf-age-related compounds, which were both unqualified. The proportions of specific TTLs varied between the ginkgo tea and ginkgo wine, although no significant differences were detected in terms of the total levels of TTLs. Noticeably, numerous biflavones and thousands of times over the limiting concentration of ginkgolic acids, including newly identified types, were only detected in ginkgo wine. Finally, the use of the GBE drinks as DSs was comprehensively evaluated according to the acceptable daily intake. This study showed the limited healthcare effects of GBE drinks despite their powerful antioxidant capacity.     

Chemistry and biology of terpene trilactones from Ginkgo biloba

Ginkgo biloba, the ginkgo tree, is the oldest living tree, with a long history of use in traditional Chinese medicine. In recent years, the leaf extracts have been widely sold as phytomedicine in Europe and as a dietary supplement worldwide. Effects of Ginkgo biloba extracts have been postulated to include improvement of memory, increased blood circulation, as well as beneficial effects to sufferers of Alzheimer's disease. The most unique components of the extracts are the terpene trilactones, that is, ginkgolides and bilobalide. These structurally complex molecules have been attractive targets for total synthesis. Terpene trilactones are believed to be partly responsible for the neuromodulatory properties of Ginkgo biloba extracts, and several biological effects of the terpene trilactones have been discovered in recent years, making them attractive pharmacological tools that could provide insight into the effects of Ginkgo biloba extracts.     

Sample preparation and determination of ginkgo terpene trilactones in selected beverage, snack, and dietary supplement products by liquid chromatography with evaporative light-scattering detection

Ginkgo biloba leaf extract has been widely used in dietary supplements and more recently in some foods and beverages. Sample preparation procedures for determination of ginkgo terpene trilactones (including bilobalide and ginkgolides A, B, C, and J) in various sample matrixes were developed in this study. Ginkgo leaves and capsules were extracted with 5% KH2PO4 aqueous solution under sonication. Tea bags were extracted with boiling water, whereas drink samples were taken directly from the bottles. After filtration and the addition of NaCl to approximately 30% (w/v), the terpene trilactones in aqueous solutions were quantitatively extracted with ethyl acetate-tetrahydrofuran (4 + 1, v/v). Puff samples (a cereal-based fried snack item) were first defatted by using hexane or by using supercritical fluid extraction and then extracting under sonication with methanol-acetic acid (99 + 1, v/v). After evaporation of the organic phase, the terpene trilactones were redissolved in methanol and determined on a C18 reversed-phase column by liquid chromatography (LC) with evaporative light-scattering detection. The method of standard additions and gas chromatography with flame ionization detection were used for method validation. For most samples, the relative standard deviation was <10%. The identities of target compounds in ginkgo leaves and drink samples were confirmed by LC/electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry.     

THE APPLICATION OF A NOVEL ADSORBENT IN RAPID SAMPLE CLEAN—UP OF GINKGOLIDES AND BILOBALIDE IN EXTRACTS OF GINKGO BILOBA LEAVES

A rapid method has been developed for rapid sample clean-up in the determination of the pharmacologically active terpenoid including ginkgolide A,B,C and bilobalide in ginkgo biloba leaves extracts (GBE).The extracts are dissolved in 7% of ethanol aqueous solution and then purified by a highly selective polyeric adsorbent solid-phase chromatographic column.After being concentrated,the separated terpenoids with no phenolic distrubance are determined by highperformance liquid chromatorgraphy on a Nova-Pak C18 column with methanol-water(30:70)as effluent and refractive index detection.The recovery of the method is about 95% and the new method saves more time than the conventional two-column purification method.     

THE APPLICATION OF A NOVEL ADSORBENT IN RAPID SAMPLE CLEAN-UP OF GINKGOLIDES AND BILOBALIDE IN EXTRACTS OF GINKGO BILOBA LEAVES

1 INTRODUCTIONGinkgolides, known as specific antagonist of platelet factor (PAF), possess uniquepharmaceutical properties and are main active constituent of many phytopharrnaceuticpreparations based on ginkgo bilioba leaves extracts II]. Another active terpenoid, namelybilobalide, is reported recently to show potent therapeutic efficacy to the disease related to nervesystem 121. They are all terpene lactones, which are highly oxidized as illustrated in Figure 1.The first attempts to ana…     

Chemical analysis and quality control of Ginkgo biloba leaves,extracts, and phytopharmaceuticals

The chemical analysis and quality control of Ginkgo leaves, extracts, phytopharmaceuticals and some herbal supplements is comprehensively reviewed. The review is an update of a similar, earlier review in this journal [T.A. van Beek, J. Chromatogr. A 967 (2002) 21–55]. Since 2001 over 3000 papers on Ginkgo biloba have appeared, and about 400 of them pertain to chemical analysis in a broad sense and are cited herein. The more important ones are discussed and, where relevant, compared with the best methods published prior to 2002. In the same period over 2500 patents were filed on Ginkgo and the very few related to analysis are mentioned as well. Important constituents include terpene trilactones, i.e. ginkgolide A, B, C, J and bilobalide, flavonol glycosides, biflavones, proanthocyanidins, alkylphenols, simple phenolic acids, 6-hydroxykynurenic acid, 4-O-methylpyridoxine and polyprenols. In the most common so-called “standardised” Ginkgo extracts and phytopharmaceuticals several of these classes are no longer present. About 130 new papers deal with the analysis of the terpene trilactones. They are mostly extracted with methanol or water or mixtures thereof. Supercritical fluid extraction and pressurised water extraction are also possible. Sample clean-up is mostly by liquid–liquid extraction with ethyl acetate although no sample clean-up at all in combination with LC/MS/MS is gaining in importance. Separation and detection can be routinely carried out by RP-HPLC with ELSD, RI or MS, or by GC/FID or GC/MS after silylation. Hydrolysis followed by LC/MS allows the simultaneous analysis of terpene trilactones and flavonol aglycones. No quantitative procedure for all major flavonol glycosides has yet been published because they are not commercially available. The quantitation of a few available glycosides has been carried out but does not serve a real purpose. After acidic hydrolysis to the aglycones quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin and separation by HPLC, quantitation is straightforward and yields by recalculation an estimation of the original total flavonol glycoside content. A profile of the genuine flavonol glycosides can detect poor storage or adulteration. Although the toxicity of Ginkgo alkylphenols upon oral administration has never been undoubtedly proven, most suppliers limit their content in extracts to 5 ppm and dozens of papers on their analysis were published. One procedure in which a methanolic extract is directly injected on a C8 HPLC column appears superior in terms of sensitivity (<5 ppm), separation, simplicity and validation and will be incorporated in the European Pharmacopoeia. Alternatively GC/MS and ELISA methods can be used. A sharp contrast to the plethora of papers on terpene trilactones, flavonol glycosides, and ginkgolic acids forms the low number of papers on biflavones, proanthocyanidins, simple phenolics, simple acids, and other constituents that make up the remaining 70% of Ginkgo standardised extracts. More research in this direction is clearly needed. For the analysis of Ginkgo proanthocyanidins (7%) for instance, no reliable assays are yet existing. Finally the growing literature on pharmacokinetic and fingerprinting studies of Ginkgo is briefly summarised.     

Chemical analysis of Ginkgo biloba leaves and extracts

The chemical analysis and quality control of Ginkgo leaves and extracts is reviewed. Important constituents present in the medicinally used leaves are the terpene trilactones, i.e., ginkgolides A, B, C, J and bilobalide, many flavonol glycosides, biflavones, proanthocyanidins, alkylphenols, simple phenolic acids, 6-hydroxykynurenic acid, 4-O-methylpyridoxine and polyprenols. In the commercially important Ginkgo extracts some of these compound classes are no longer present. Many publications deal with the analysis of the unique terpene trilactones. They can be extracted with aqueous acetone or aqueous methanol but also supercritical fluid extraction is possible. Still somewhat problematic is their sample clean-up. Various procedures, not all of them validated, employing partitioning or SPE have been proposed. Some further development in this area can be foreseen. Separation and detection can be routinely carried out by HPLC with RI, ELSD or MS, or with GC-FID after silylation. TLC is another possibility. No quantitative procedure for flavonol glycosides has been published so far due their difficult separation and commercial unavailability. Fingerprint analysis by gradient RP-HPLC is possible. After acidic hydrolysis to the aglycones quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin and separation by HPLC, quantitation is straightforward and yields by recalculation an estimation of the original total flavonol glycoside content. For biflavones, simple phenols, 6-hydroxykynurenic acid, 4-O-methylpyridoxine and polyprenols analytical procedures have been published but not all assays are yet ideal. Lately a there is a lot of interest in the analysis of the undesired alkylphenols and a few validated procedures have been published. The analysis of Ginkgo proanthocyanidins is still in its infancy and no reliable assays exist.     

PURIFICATION OF GINKGO LEAVES EXTRACT WITH MACROPOROUS ADSORBENT BASED ON UREA-FORMALDEHYDE CONDENSED POLYMERS

I INTRODUCTIONGinkgo biloba L. is one of the important economic trees, which is widely distributed inChina. In recent years, medicinal and healthful preparations based on the extractS from ginkgoleaves have been rapidly developed for the treatment of peripheral circulatory and cerebralinsufficiencyl']. Such eXtracts contain flavonol glycosides and terpene lactones as thepharmacologically active compounds. Organic-solvent extraction is one of the earliest methodsto prepare the extracts o…     

PURIFICATION OF GINKGO LEAVES EXTRACT WITH MACROPOROUS ADSORBENT BASED ON UREA—FORMALDEHYDE CONDENSED POLYMERS

The relationship between the adsorption properties for the active components of ginkgo leaves and the structure of the adsorbents based on urea-formaldehyde condensed polymers was investigated.The results revealed that these adsorbents showed very high adsorpton selectivity for both flavonol glycosides and terpene lactones contained in ginkgo leaves.Thus,an adsorption separation procedure for purification of ginkgo leaves extracts was developed.     

Determination of the Flavonoids from Ginkgo Biloba Extract by High Performance Liquid Chromatography

Today Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) is one of the most widely used food supplements and herbal medicines. The amounts of flavone glycosides, one of the key active components in GBE, vary according to the source of the ginkgo leaves and the extraction and enrichment procedures used to prepare the extract. A typical GBE contains from 22% to 27% of flavone glycosides. Ginkgo flavone glycosides are a group of small complex molecules that can be hydrolyzed to give kaempferol, quercetin and isor…     

Microphysiometric Measurement of PAF Receptor Responses to Ginkgolides

Microphysiometry was used to evaluate the effects of terpene trilactone and flavonoid constituents of Ginkgo biloba on human platelet‐activating‐factor receptor (PAFR). Inhibition of the platelet‐activating factor response by terpene trilactones was confirmed using this functional assay. Ginkgolide B (GB) and 10‐O‐benzyl‐GB showed the strongest inhibition (81 and 93%, resp.) of the PAFR response, while the flavonoids rutin, quercetin, and kaempferol showed negligible response inhibition. G. biloba extract mixtures were also tested, and results indicate possible synergistic effects among various components.     

Optimal Treatment with Cannabis Extracts Formulations Is Gained via Knowledge of Their Terpene Content and via Enrichment with Specifically Selected Monoterpenes and Monoterpenoids

Differences between therapeutic effects of medical cannabis inflorescences and those of their extracts are generally attributed to the differences in administration form and in the resultant pharmacokinetics. We hypothesized that difference may further extend to the composition of the actually consumed drug. Cannabinoid and terpene contents were compared between commercial cannabis inflorescences (n = 19) and decarboxylated extracts (n = 12), and between inflorescences and decarboxylated extracts produced from them (n = 10). While cannabinoid content was preserved in the extracts, a significant loss of terpenes was evident, mainly in the more volatile monoterpenes and monoterpenoids (representing a loss of about 90%). This loss changes the total terpene content, the proportion of monoterpenes out of the total terpenes, and the monoterpene/cannabinoid ratio. Terpene deficiency might impair extracts’ pharmacological efficacy and might contribute to the patients’ preference to inflorescences-smoking. This argues against the validity of terms such as “whole plant” and “full spectrum” extracts and creates a misleading assumption that extracts represent the pharmacological profile of the sourced inflorescences. Furthermore, it reduces the diversity in extracts, such as loss of differences between sativa-type and indica-type. Enriching cannabis extracts with selected terpenes may provide a suitable solution, generating a safe, precise, and reproducible drug with tailored cannabinoid and terpene contents. Careful selection of terpenes to be added enables tailor-made extracts, adjusted for various medicinal aims and for different populations.     

Fluorophotometric thin-layer chromatography of ginkgo terpenes by postchromatographic thermochemical derivatization and quality survey of commercial ginkgo products

Terpenoid lactones in Ginkgo biloba leaves are the main active constituents and the content of these terpenes is therefore the key factor for evaluating the quality of the leaves, the extract, and its preparations distributed on the market. The precleanup sample solutions were applied onto the silica gel plate modified with sodium acetate solution and developed with a solvent system of toluene-ethyl acetate-acetone-methanol, and a fluorescence chromatogram was generated by means of postchromatographic thermal chemical reaction. Fluorescence scanning was conducted quantitatively. The methodology validation confirmed that it is a practical alternative for routine quality control for ginkgo terpenes and the results are comparable with those obtained by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). On the basis of the method established, a quality survey of the various commercial ginkgo products from different sources was undertaken. The obtained data demonstrated that the fluctuation of the content of individual terpene and/or the total terpenes among replicate samples is so significant as to cast doubts on the consistency of their pharmacological and clinical efficacy.     

Deep eutectic solvents as green media for efficient extraction of terpene trilactones from Ginkgo biloba leaves

Deep eutectic solvents (DESs)-based ultrasonic extraction of terpene trilactones (TTLs) from Ginkgo biloba leaves was efficiently developed. Sixteen DESs were prepared, and DESs composed of choline chloride-urea (ChCl-U) and betaine-ethylene glycol (BE-EG) gave higher TTL extraction yields than the present, most efficient solvent 70% ethanol. The extraction conditions were further optimized, and the optimum conditions were as follows: taking BE-EG containing 40% (w/w) water as the extraction solvent, 1:10 of G. biloba leaves powder-to-solvent ratio, and ultrasonic treatment at 45°C and 100?W for 20?min. A total extraction yield of 1.94?±?0.03?mg/g was obtained under the optimum conditions, which indicated that 99.37% of TTLs could be extracted from the G. biloba leaves powder by a single extraction. Moreover, the polyamide resin was used to recover the TTLs in DES extracting solution, and recovery yield of 95.1% was attained. Therefore, BE-EG containing 40% (w/w) water was a potential alternative solvent for TTLs extraction from G. biloba leaves.     

Effect of compatibility on the pharmacokinetic characteristics of ginsenosides

Pharmacokinetic research, which is one of the most important parts of preclinic research, plays an important role in guiding medicine compatibility and preparation improvement. In this paper, the influence of the compatibility of GGV on pharmacokinetics of ginsenosides (GS) was studied, which consisted of ginsenosides, ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) and a chemical monomer V. The result indicated that the addition of either GBE or V could influence the pharmacokinetic parameters of ginsenosides and the influence was different when different administering routes were adopted. Therefore, it could be concluded that there are interactions among GS, GBE and V, and the synergetic and inhibitory effects of the three ingredients contribute to the pharmacological effect of GGV.     

Qualitative and quantitative analysis of phenolic acid glycosides in Ginkgo biloba L. leaf,G. biloba leaf extract and its injection

Ginkgo biloba L. leaf (GBL) is one of the most commonly used medicinal plants in the world. Phenolic acids with biological activities have a relatively high content in G. biloba leaf extracts (GBE); therefore they are of great significance for the quality control of GBL, GBE and its preparations. However, there have been few studies focused on their analysis. In this work, 12 phenolic acids, including 11 phenolic acid glycosides, were identified by liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC–Q-TOF/MS). Then, a method combining enzymolysis with HPLC was established for quantification of phenolic acid glycosides. It was found that the aglycones of phenolic acid glycosides mainly comprised five phenolic acids: 2,4,6-trihydroxybenzoic acid, protocatechuic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, vanillic acid and p-coumaric acid. The quantitative method was validated, and the correlation coefficient (0.9993–0.9999), recovery (≥88.4%), repeatability (≤0.8%), and inter-day precision (≤5.5%) were satisfactory. Finally, the contents of glycosides of five phenolic acids in GBL, GBE and GBE injection from different sources were determined by the developed method. The method was accurate, repeatable and practicable, which could be helpful for the quantification of phenolic acid glycosides in other products containing GBL or GBE.     

A new sesquiterpene trilactone from the roots of Ginkgo biloba

A new sesquiterpene trilactone, named bilobanol (1), along with four known terpene trilactones (ginkgolide A, B, C and bilobalide) were isolated from the roots of Ginkgo biloba collected in Jiangsu Province, China. The structure elucidation was accomplished by 1D and 2D NMR methods, HR-ESI-MS, and CD spectrum.     

Multiresidue determination of organophosphorus pesticides in ginkgo leaves by accelerated solvent extraction and gas chromatography with flame photometric detection

A rapid and simple method using accelerated solvent extraction and solid-phase extraction cleanup was developed and validated for the determination of 15 organophosphorus pesticides in ginkgo leaves by capillary gas chromatography with flame photometric detection. The pesticides were extracted at 100 degrees C under 1500 psi pressure in <20 min. The average recovery from 10 g ginkgo leaves, fortified at 3 levels ranging from 0.05 to 1.00 mg/kg, was 95.2% with a relative standard deviation of 4.6%. The limits of detection ranged from 1.11 x 10(-3) mg/kg (dimethoate) to 4.44 x 10(-3) mg/kg (dichlorvos). The proposed method showed acceptable accuracy and precision while minimizing environmental concerns, time, and labor. Furthermore, the method could be easily applied to the monitoring of these 15 organophosphorus pesticides in ginkgo leaves.     

高效液相色谱-串联质谱法同时测定银杏保健茶中的16种黄酮类功效成分

建立了银杏保健茶中16种黄酮类物质的液相色谱-串联质谱(LC-MS/MS)测定方法。16种黄酮成分分别为儿茶素、牡荆素、葛根素、大豆苷元、水飞蓟宾、槲皮素、木犀草素、芹菜素、柚皮素、橙皮素二氢查尔酮、山柰酚、橙皮素、异鼠李素、黄芩素、川陈皮素、桔皮素。实验优化了液相色谱条件和质谱参数。采用C₁₈柱分离,流动相为乙腈-水(含0.1%甲酸)梯度洗脱,流速0.25 mL/min,以电喷雾离子源正离子多反应监测(MRM)模式进行MS/MS检测。16种黄酮类物质在各自的线性范围内具有良好的线性关系,相关系数大于0.996,低、中、高3个添加水平的平均回收率在70.9%~100.0%之间,相对标准偏差小于10%。通过检测发现实际样品中9种黄酮物质含量较高,分别是:山柰酚、槲皮素、橙皮素、牡荆素、木犀草素、儿茶素、芹菜素、柚皮素、异鼠李素,占总量的99.6%,此9种物质可作为银杏保健茶的质量控制指标。本法简便、快速、准确可靠,可用于控制银杏保健茶的质量。