Preparative separation and enrichment of four taxoids from Taxus chinensis needles extracts by macroporous resin column chromatography

An environment‐friendly method was established for the preparative separation and enrichment of four taxoids, namely 10‐deacetylbaccatin III (10‐DAB III), 7‐xylosyl‐10‐deacetyltaxol (7‐xyl‐10‐DAT), cephalomannine and paclitaxel from Taxus chinensis needles extracts. Characteristics of seven widely used macroporous resins for four taxoids were compared, AB‐8 resin offered better adsorption and desorption capacities than others. AB‐8 resin column chromatography was used to study the desorption process for four taxoids. The optimum parameters for desorption were 30% ethanol 5 RV for removing impurities, following 15 RV for 10‐DAB III, after the desorption of impurities with 35% ethanol 10 RV, 45% ethanol 30 RV for 7‐xyl‐10‐DAT, then 65% ethanol 10 RV for cephalomannine and paclitaxel, the flow rate was 6 RV/h. After separation on AB‐8 resin column chromatography, the contents of 10‐DAB III, 7‐xyl‐10‐DAT, cephalomannine and paclitaxel in the product reached 4.58, 13.17, 1.36 and 3.08%, respectively, which were 7.63‐, 3.68‐, 6.18‐ and 6.55‐fold to those in T. chinensis needles extracts. The recovery yields were 94.96, 77.32, 88.09 and 95.25%. In general, the AB‐8 resin column chromatography has the advantages of lower cost, high efficiency and simple procedure. Therefore, it may provide scientific references for the preparative separation and enrichment of taxoids from other T. species.     

Comprehensive separation of iridoid glycosides and triterpenoid saponins from Dipsacus asper with salt‐containing solvent by high‐speed countercurrent chromatography coupled with recycling mode

The roots of Dipsacus asper Wall as a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine are used for tonifying liver and kidney and strengthening bones and muscles. However, an effective separation strategy for comprehensive and rapid separation of the main active compounds from the roots of D. asper is nonexistent. This investigation provided an effective separation method based on AB‐8 macroporous resin column chromatography using different ratios of ethanol in water and two different modes of high‐speed countercurrent chromatography with salt‐containing solvent system for rapid enrichment and separation from the roots of D. asper. The macroporous resin column chromatography was performed on AB‐8 resin using ethanol in water ratios of 10, 30, 40, 50, and 80% as the optimized enrichment conditions for iridoid glycosides and triterpenoid saponins with different polarities. For high‐speed countercurrent chromatography separation, the conventional and recycling modes were combined together to develop a strategy for 12 compounds ( 1 – 12 ) from the enriched parts of 30, 40, and 80% ethanol, including six high‐polarity iridoid glycosides ( 1 – 6 ) using inorganic salt‐containing solvent system and six triterpenoid saponins ( 7 – 12 ). Recycling high‐speed countercurrent chromatography separation was successfully applied to separate two isomers ( 9 and 10 ) after 11 cycles.     

Separation and purification of both tea seed polysaccharide and saponin from camellia cake extract using macroporous resin

A novel method to separate and purify tea seed polysaccharide and tea seed saponin from camellia cake extract by macroporous resin was developed. Among four kinds of resins (AB‐8, NKA‐9, XDA‐6, and D4020) tested, AB‐8 macroporous resin possessed optimal separating capacity for the two substances and thus was selected for the separation, in which deionized water was used to elute tea seed polysaccharide, 0.25% NaOH solution to remove the undesired pigments, and 90% ethanol to elute tea seed saponin. Further dynamic adsorption/desorption experiments on AB‐8 resin‐based column chromatography were conducted to obtain the optimal parameters. Under optimal dynamic adsorption and desorption conditions, 18.7 and 11.8% yield of tea seed polysaccharide and tea seed saponin were obtained with purities of 89.2 and 96.0%, respectively. The developed method provides a potential approach for the large‐scale production of tea seed polysaccharide and tea seed saponin from camellia cake.     

Preparative purification of salidroside from Rhodiola rosea by two‐step adsorption chromatography on resins

Salidroside is an effective adaptogenic drug extracted from Rhodiola species. In the present study, a simple and efficient method for preparative separation and purification of salidroside from the Chinese medicinal plant Rhodiola rosesa was developed by adsorption chromatography on macroporous resins. The static adsorption isotherms and kinetics of some resins have been determined and compared for preparative separation of salidroside. According to our results, HPD‐200 resin is the most appropriate medium for the separation of salidroside and its adsorption data fit the Langmuir isotherm well. Dynamic adsorption and desorption were carried out in glass columns packed with HPD‐200 to optimize the separation process. After two adsorption and desorption runs, a product with a salidroside content of 92.21% and an overall recovery of 48.82% was achieved. In addition, pure lamellar crystals of salidroside with a purity of 99.00% could be obtained from this product. Its molecular weight was determined by an ESI‐MS method. The simple purification scheme avoids toxic organic solvents used in silica gel and high‐speed counter‐current chromatographic separation processes and thus increases the safety of the process and can be helpful for large‐scale salidroside production from Rhodiola rosea or other plant extracts.     

Study on steroidal saponins in crude and stir‐fried Fructus Tribuli by ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry coupled with multivariate statistical analysis

Fructus Tribuli is a traditional Chinese medicine used clinically for many years. Crude Fructus Tribuli and stir‐fried Fructus Tribuli are recorded in the Pharmacopoeia of the People′s Republic of China. However, the differences between steroidal saponins in crude Fructus Tribuli and stir‐fried Fructus Tribuli have not been compared. In this study, ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry along with multivariate statistical analysis was developed to discriminate the chemical profiles and identify the steroidal saponins of crude Fructus Tribuli and stir‐fried Fructus Tribuli. Additionally, an ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography triple‐quadrupole mass spectrometer was used for the simultaneous quantification of nine major steroidal saponins to analyze the variations between crude Fructus Tribuli and stir‐fried Fructus Tribuli. Finally, a total of 30 steroidal saponins whose structures or contents changed significantly after processing were found and identified. The mechanism of structural transformations deduced indicated that during the stir‐frying of Fructus Tribuli, C‐22 hydroxy furostanol saponins were converted to the corresponding furostanol saponins containing C‐20‐C‐22 double bonds by dehydroxylation and deglycosylation reactions that occurred in the spirostanol saponins causing the generation of steroidal sapogenins. This study was successfully applied to the global analysis of crude Fructus Tribuli and stir‐fried Fructus Tribuli. The results of this research will be beneficial to explore the processing mechanism of Fructus Tribuli.     

Separation and purification of flavonoid from Taxus remainder extracts free of taxoids using polystyrene and polyamide resin

An efficient separation process of flavonoid from Taxus wallichiana var. mairei remainder extracts free of taxoids was developed in this study. AB‐8 macroporous resin and polyamide resin offered the fine adsorption capacity, and its adsorption rate at 30°C fitted well to the Langmuir and Freundich isotherms. Resin dynamic adsorption and desorption experiments were conducted to optimize the separation process of total flavonoids from T. wallichiana var. mairei remainder extracts free of taxoids. The optimum parameters for adsorption by AB‐8 resin were as follows: (1) the concentration of flavonoids in a sample solution of 5.61 mg/mL with a processing volume of 2 bed volume (BV) (60 mL); (2) for desorption, ethanol–water (80:20, v/v), with 6 BV as an eluent at a flow rate of 2 BV/h. After a one‐run treatment with AB‐8 resin, the content of flavonoids was increased 5.10‐fold from 4.05 to 20.65%. The optimum parameters for adsorption by polyamide resin were as follows: processing volume of 2 BV (30 mL); for desorption, ethanol–water (70:30, v/v), with 8 BV as an eluent at a flow rate of 2 BV/h. After one‐run treatment with polyamide resin, the content of total flavonoids increased from 20.65 to 65.21%. The method will provide a potential approach for large‐scale separation and purification of flavonoid for its wide pharmaceutical use.     

Identification and structural elucidation of steroidal saponins from the root of Paris polyphylla by HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS

The root of Paris polyphylla (RPP) is widely used as a traditional Chinese medicine for a long time due to the good properties of heat-clearing and detoxicating, detumescence, sedation, acesodyne and haemostasis. To clarify on the bioactive substances and ensure the safety in clinical medication, a feasible and accurate strategy was developed by applying the high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray ionisation and quadrupole time-of-flight-mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS). Separation was performed an Agilent poroshell 120 EC-C18 column (2.7 × 100 mm, i.d., 2.7 μm) with 0.1% formic acid aqueous solution and acetonitrile as the mobile phase under gradient conditions. Based on the proposed strategy, 30 constituents, mainly including steroidal saponins, were characterised or tentatively identified, 2 of which were the first to be reported as the potential new steroidal saponins in RPP. In conclusion, the HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS is a feasible and credible technique to separate and identify steroidal saponins from botanical extracts.     

Enrichment and purification of madecassoside and asiaticoside from Centella asiatica extracts with macroporous resins

In present study, the performance and separation characteristics of five macroporous resins for the enrichment and purification of asiaticoside and madecassoside from Centella asiatica extracts have been evaluated. The adsorption and desorption properties of total triterpene saponins (80% purity) on macroporous resins including HPD100, HPD300, X-5, AB-8 and D101 have been compared. According to our results, HPD100 offered higher adsorption and desorption capacities and higher adsorption speed for asiaticoside and madecassoside than other resins. Column packed with HPD100 resin was used to perform dynamic adsorption and desorption tests to optimize the separation process of asiaticoside and madecassoside from C. asiatica extracts. After the treatment with gradient elution on HPD100 resin, the content of madecassoside in the product increased from 3.9 to 39.7%, and the recovery yield was 70.4%; for asiaticoside the content increased from 2.0 to 21.5%, and the recovery yield was 72.0%. The results showed that HPD100 resin revealed a good ability to separate madecassoside and asiaticoside, and the method can be referenced for the separation of other triterpene saponins from herbal raw materials.     

Preliminary extraction of tannins by 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazole bromide and its subsequent removal from Galla chinensis extract using macroporous resins

In recent years, ionic liquids have become increasingly attractive as ‘green solvents’ used in the extraction of bioactive compounds from natural plant. However, the separation of ionic liquid from the target compounds was difficult, due to their low vapour pressure and high stabilities. In our study, ionic liquid‐based ultrasonic and microwave‐assisted extraction was used to obtain the crude tannins, then the macroporous resin adsorption technology was further employed to purify the tannins and remove the ionic liquid from crude extract. The results showed that XDA‐6 had higher separation efficiency than other tested resins, and the equilibrium experimental data were well fitted to Langmuir isotherms. Dynamic adsorption and desorption were performed on XDA‐6 packed in glass columns to optimise the separation process. The optimum conditions as follows: the ratio of column height to diameter bed was 1:8, flow rate 1 BV/h (bed volume per hour), 85% ethanol was used as eluant while the elution volume was 2 BV. Under the optimised conditions, the adsorption and desoption rate of tannins in XDA‐6 were 94.81 and 91.63%, respectively. The content of tannins was increased from 70.24% in Galla chinensis extract to 85.12% with a recovery of 99.06%. The result of ultra‐performance liquid chromatography (UPLC)‐MS/MS analysis showed that [bmim]Br could be removed from extract.     

Separation of salvianic acid A from the fermentation broth of engineered Escherichia coli using macroporous resins

Salvianic acid A (also known as danshensu) is a plant‐derived polyphenolic acid, and has a variety of physiological and pharmacological activities. Our laboratory previously constructed an unprecedented artificial biosynthetic pathway in Escherichia coli and established the fermentation process to produce salvianic acid A. Here, we developed an efficient method for separating salvianic acid A from the fermentation broth of engineered Escherichia coli by macroporous resins. Among ten tested macroporous resins, the static and dynamic adsorption/desorption experiments demonstrated that X5 resin was the best to separate salvianic acid A from fermentation broth. Other parameters during static and dynamic procedures were also investigated. Under the optimum separation conditions, the average adsorption capacity of SAA were 10.66±0.54 mg/g dry resin and the desorption ratio was 85.6±4.1%. The purity and recovery yield of salvianic acid A in the final dry product were 90.2±1.5 and 81.5±2.3%, respectively. The results show that adsorption separation with macroporous resin X5 was an efficient method to prepare salvianic acid A from fermentation broth. This work will benefit the development and application of plant‐derived salvianic acid A and its derivatives.     

Separation and purification of steroidal saponins from Paris polyphylla by microwave‐assisted extraction coupled with countercurrent chromatography using evaporative light scattering detection

A method of microwave‐assisted extraction coupled with countercurrent chromatography using evaporative light scattering detection was successfully developed for the separation and purification of steroidal saponins from Paris polyphylla. The main extraction conditions including microwave power, liquid/solid ratio, irradiation time, and extraction temperature were optimized using an orthogonal array design method. A suitable two‐phase solvent system consisting of n‐heptane/n‐butanol/acetonitrile/water (10:19:6:20, v/v/v/v) was employed in the separation and purification of the extracts of P. polyphylla. A total of 7.1 mg polyphyllin VII, 4.3 mg gracillin, 9.2 mg dioscin, and 10.2 mg polyphyllin I were obtained from 1.5 g P. polyphylla in less than 300 min, the purities of which determined by HPLC were 96.7, 97.3, 98.7, and 98.6%, respectively. The identification and characterization of these compounds were performed by LC–ESI‐MS and ¹H NMR spectroscopy. The results demonstrated that the proposed method is feasible, economical and efficient for the extraction, separation and purification of effective compounds from natural products.     

Simultaneous quantification of both triterpenoid and steroidal saponins in various Yunnan Baiyao preparations using HPLC–UV and HPLC–MS

Yunnan Baiyao (YNBY) is one of the best known traditional Chinese medicines. Saponins are considered to be its active components. In this study, an HPLC method was first developed for the simultaneous quantitative analysis of thirteen saponins, including five triterpenoid saponins and eight steroidal saponins, in a series of YNBY preparations, i. e., powder, capsules, aerosol, toothpaste, plaster, and adhesive bandage. The pre‐treatment methods for each dosage form were investigated and optimized. The HPLC separation was performed on a Shim‐pack C₁₈ reversed‐phase column in gradient mode with UV detection at 203 nm. All calibration curves showed good linear regression (r² ? 0.9981) within the test ranges. Precisions and repeatabilities of the methods were better than 4.22 and 4.78%, respectively. Recoveries were better than 90.5%, even in the analysis of the least abundant saponins in a complex YNBY plaster. HPLC–ESI‐TOF/MS was used for definite identification of compounds in the preparations. This proposed method was successfully applied to quantify the 13 bioactive constituents in 27 commercial samples to evaluate the quality of YNBY preparations. The overall results demonstrate that this method is simple, reliable, and suitable for the quality control of YNBY. Furthermore, the retention behavior of these saponins in reversed‐phase chromatography is described.     

SP700大孔树脂纯化酸枣仁中三萜总皂苷的研究

从7种极性不同的大孔树脂中筛选出一种对酸枣仁三萜总皂苷具有良好吸附和解吸性能的树脂—三菱SP700树脂。静态实验中,该树脂的最高吸附容量可达131.0mg皂苷/g树脂,皂苷在树脂表面的吸附符合Langmuir模型,用体积分数为90%的乙醇解吸得率最高可达97.8%;动态实验中,样液在膨胀床模式下上样,树脂的平均动态吸附容量为15mg皂苷/g树脂,上样后,用体积分数分别为50%和90%的乙醇溶液进行分段洗脱,洗脱得率最高可达到95.1%,经过纯化的皂苷提取物的含量提高了4倍。SP700大孔吸附树脂作为一种对酸枣仁中三萜总皂苷进行纯化的介质具有良好的性能和应用价值。     

Extraction and identification of steroidal saponins from Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua using natural deep eutectic solvent-synergistic quartz sand-assisted extraction method

In this study, quartz sand with particularly sharp nanoscale edges acted like a nanoscale knife physically cut cells of Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua into nanosized particles and was synergized with natural deep eutectic solvent to extract steroidal saponins of Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua. The natural deep eutectic solvent (choline chloride-lactic acid)-synergistic quartz sand-assisted extraction was optimized using response surface methodology. The steroidal saponins purified with AB-8 macroporous resin were identified using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-triple time of flight mass spectrometry. The results showed that the experimental total saponins content value (36.97 ± 0.12 mg dioscin equivalent/g dry weight) at optimal extraction conditions with a temperature of 68°C, a rotational speed of 20 400 rpm, shear time of 4.3 min, the liquid-solid ratio of 38 ml/g, was close to the maximum possible theoretical value (36.64 mg dioscin equivalent/g dry weight). A total of 20 steroidal saponins were identified, among which the content of (25R)-Kingianoside E was the highest (102.66 ± 3.47 mg/g). Furthermore, a new steroid saponin (3β,25S)-26-(β-D-glucopyranosyloxy)-22-hydroxyfurost-5-en-3-yl 4-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-β-D-galactopyranoside+Glc was found for the first time. These results revealed that natural deep eutectic solvent-synergistic quartz sand-assisted extraction was an efficient and green method to extract a variety of steroidal saponins.     

Preparative enrichment and separation of astragalosides from Radix Astragali extracts using macroporous resins

The enrichment and separation of astragalosides I–IV (AGs I–IV) were studied on eight macroporous resins in the present study. SA‐3 resin offered the best adsorption and desorption capacities for AGs I–IV than other resins. The models of adsorption kinetics were investigated in order to elucidate the mechanism of adsorption. The pseudo‐second‐order model was the better choice than the pseudo‐first‐order model to describe the adsorption behavior of AGs I–IV onto SA‐3 resin. The equilibrium experimental data were well fitted to Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. SA‐3 resin adsorption chromatography tests were carried out to optimize the separation process of AGs I–IV from Radix Astragali extracts. With the optimum parameters for adsorption and desorption, the contents of AGs I–IV were 8.78‐, 11.60‐, 10.52‐ and 11.28‐fold increased with the recovery yields being 65.88, 90.92, 84.25 and 94.17%, respectively. The preparative enrichment and separation of AGs I–IV from Radix Astragali extracts can be easily and effectively achieved by SA‐3 resin adsorption chromatography. The developed methodology can also be referenced for the separation of other active constituents from herbal materials and manufacture of Radix Astragali products.     

A simple and efficient protocol for large‐scale preparation of three flavonoids from the flower of Daphne genkwa by combination of macroporous resin and counter‐current chromatography

In this paper, macroporous resin column chromatography and counter‐current chromatography (CCC) were applied for large‐scale preparative separation of three flavonoids from the flower of Daphne genkwa, a famous Chinese medicinal herb. Nine kinds of resins were investigated by adsorption and desorption tests and D101 macroporous resin was selected for the first cleaning‐up, in which 40% aqueous ethanol was used to remove the undesired constituents and 90% aqueous ethanol was used to elute the targets. The crude extract after the first step was directly subjected to the preparative CCC purification using the solvent system composed of n‐hexane–ethyl acetate–methanol–water (4:5:4:5, v/v). The compounds apigemin (823 mg), 3‐hydroxyl‐genkwanin (842 mg) and genkwanin (998 mg) with the purities of 98.79, 97.71 and 93.53%, respectively, determined by HPLC were produced from 3‐g crude extract only in one CCC run. Their chemical structures were identified by MS, UV and the standards.     

Three new steroidal saponins from Helleborus thibetanus

Three new steroidal saponins including two spirostanol glycosides (1–2) and one furostanol glycoside 1-sulphate (3) were isolated from the dried roots and rhizomes of Helleborus thibetanus. Structures of the compounds were determined on the basis of extensive use of 1-D and 2-D NMR experiments, together with HR–ESI–MS and IR measurements, as well as the results of acid hydrolysis. Compounds 1–2 represented steroidal saponins with an unusual substitution pattern, which possessed a double bond at C-25 and were glycosylated at 1-OH.     

Highly selective separation and purification of chicoric acid from Echinacea purpurea by quality control methods in macroporous adsorption resin column chromatography

Chicoric acid is the main phenolic active ingredient in Echinacea purpurea (Asteraceae), best known for its immune‐enhancing ability, as well as used as a herbal medicine. To achieve further utilization of medicinal ingredients from E. purpurea, an efficient preparative separation of chicoric acid was developed based on macroporous adsorption resin chromatography. The separation characteristics of several different typical macroporous adsorption resins were evaluated by adsorption/desorption column experiments, and HPD100 was revealed as the optimal one, which exhibited that the adsorbents fitted well to the pseudo‐second‐order kinetics model and Langmuir isotherm model, and the optimal process parameters were obtained. The breakthrough curves could be predicted and end‐point could be determined early. Besides, the optimal elution conditions of chicoric acid can be achieved using the quality control methods. As a result, the purity of chicoric acid was increased 15.8‐fold (from 4 to 63%) after the treatment with HPD100. The process of the enrichment and separation of chicoric acid is considerate, because of its high efficiency and simple operation. The established separation and purification method of chicoric acid is expected to be valuable for further utilization of E. purpurea according to product application in pharmaceutical fields in the future.     

Separation and purification of hydroxytysol and oleuropein from Olea europaea L. (olive) leaves using macroporous resins and a novel solvent system

The separation and purification of hydroxytysol and oleuropein from Olea europaea L. (olive) using a macroporous resin with a novel solvent system was systematically investigated. Static adsorption experiments with BMKX–4 resin revealed that the experimental data of both hydroxytysol and oleuropein fitted best to the pseudo‐second‐order kinetic and Freundlich isotherm models. The thermodynamic parameters indicated spontaneous and exothermic adsorption processes. The novel solvent system, composed of n–hexane:ethyl acetate:methanol:water in a (v/v/v/v) ratio of 1:9:1:9, had two phases (upper and lower). The separation and purification parameters of hydroxytysol and oleuropein were optimized using dynamic adsorption/desorption on a column packed with BMKX–4 resin. The effects of flow rates and volumes of the upper and lower phases on the separation efficiency were systematically studied. Under optimal conditions, the fraction of hydroxytysol in the final product increased by 6.34‐fold from 0.46 to 2.96%, with a yield rate of 88.58% w/w, while that of oleuropein increased 4.17‐fold from 11.40 to 47.59%, with a 93.31% w/w yield rate. These results may be help in selecting a suitable eluent for improved separation of macroporous adsorption resins.     

Purification of spinosin from Ziziphi Spinosae Semen using macroporous resins followed by preparative high‐performance liquid chromatography

As a well‐known traditional Chinese medicine, Ziziphi Spinosae Semen has been used for treating anxiety and insomnia for a long time. Spinosin, the main active C‐glycoside flavonoid in Ziziphi Spinosae Semen, has attracted much attention because of its many pharmacological activities including strong hypnotic effects, anxiolytic‐like effects, and so on. In the present work, high‐purity spinosin was separated from Ziziphi Spinosae Semen using the HPD‐300 resin followed by preparative high‐performance liquid chromatography. The adsorption kinetics curve of spinosin on the HPD‐300 resin was studied and fitted well by the pseudo‐second‐order equation. The adsorption isotherms were also constructed and low temperature favored the adsorption reaction. The separation parameters were optimized using dynamic adsorption and desorption tests. After a one‐run treatment with HPD‐300 resin, the concentration of spinosin increased 11.8‐fold from 0.99 to 11.7% with a recovery yield of 80.4%. Furthermore, the purity of spinosin could surpass above 98% after separation by preparative high‐performance liquid chromatography and recrystallization with a recovery yield of 72.6%. The developed method was effective and suitable for the large‐scale preparation of spinosin. Moreover, it was confirmed that HPD‐300 resin could enable good selection for the enrichment of flavonoids from different plants.