Abstract
In this work, a hybrid chromatography-crystallization separation process is suggested and is used to isolate and purify the antimalarial drug artemisinin from the Chinese medicinal herb Artemisia annua. Extraction of the aerial parts of A. annua by an organic solvent yielded a complex mixture of natural products. A hybrid separation process was therefore proposed to pursue higher recovery and purity of artemisinin. The crude extract was first separated by flash column chromatography, and the fractions containing artemisinin were then separated with a two-step antisolvent crystallization process to isolate artemisinin of high purity. The antisolvent crystallization process was designed on the basis of the solubility of artemisinin in different solvents and the crystallization behaviour of the two polymorphs of artemisinin. The first step in the crystallization process was used to remove impurities from the solution, and the second step was used to isolate the stable orthorhombic form of artemisinin. The results of the present work demonstrate the great potential of combining the advantages of column chromatography and crystallization to isolate and purify a target compound from plant extracts. The separation efficiency of the process can be improved by the synergistic effect of chromatography and crystallization processes.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Organic Process Research and Development |
| Volume | 14 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| Pages (from-to) | 585-591 |
| ISSN | 1083-6160 |
| Publication status | Published - 21 May 2010 |
Keywords
- Former Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences