Isolation of alkaloids from goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis rhizomes) using pH-zone refining countercurrent chromatography

Goldenseal (the rhizomes of Hydrastis canadensis) has a long history of use in North American folk medicine and today is one of the top-selling herbal dietary supplements in the United States. The alkaloids present in the plant have been shown to be responsible for a broad range of biological activities, and the purpose of this work was to isolate preparative quantities of alkaloids present in Goldenseal for subsequent biological evaluation. Berberine chloride, canadaline, canadine, beta -hydrastine, and isocorypalmine were separated from a methanolic extract of Goldenseal by a combination of solvent/solvent partition, pH-zone refining countercurrent chromatographic, and recrystallization techniques.