APPLICATION OF 2 RAPID TECHNIQUES OF COLUMN CHROMATOGRAPHY TO SEPARATE THE PUNGENT PRINCIPLES OF GINGER, ZINGIBER-OFFICINALE ROSCOE

Two rapid techniques of column chromatography, flash chromatography and vacuum chromatography, together with solvent systems differing in polarity, have been used to separate the pungent principles (gingerols and shogaols) of an extract of ginger powder. Gingerols consist of a homologous series of aldols each containing a phenolic group which together with shogaols, showing similar structure, give the pungency of ginger. Thin-layer chromatographic analysis of the fractions collected from both chromatographic techniques showed that the main gingerol homologues are separated satisfactorily from the other compounds only using vacuum chromatography. These compounds were eluted with hexane-diethyl ether (30:70) and (20:80) respectively. The results obtained with flash chromatography, on the other hand, were not satisfactory.