Application of preparative high-speed counter-current chromatography/preparative high-performance liquid chromatography mode in rapid separation of saponins

Combined with preparative high-performance liquid chromatography, high-speed counter-current chromatography was employed for isolation and purification of saponins from Gypsophila paniculata L. n-Hexane-n-butanol-methanol-0.02% TFA (1:9:1:9, v/v) was employed as solvent system and 210 nm was chosen as the wavelength of ultraviolet detection for the first time. The research tried to compare HSCCC with prep-HPLC, and further integrated their advantages to improve separation efficiency. Five known triterpene saponins were identified by C-13 NMR and ESI-MS and their purities were all above 96%. The results demonstrated that adopted method was a feasible, economical and efficient technique for rapid preparative isolation of saponins. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.