TLC PREPARATIVE PURIFICATION OF PICROCROCIN, HTCC AND CROCIN FROM SAFFRON

A method for the extraction and purification of saffron secondary metabolites was developed. Among the solvents checked water was the most convenient for picrocrocin, 2,6,6-trimethyl-4-hydroxy-1-carboxaldchyde-1-cyclohexene (HTCC) and crocin extraction from saffron stigmas. Thc compounds were separated by analytical and preparative thin layer chromatography on aluminum oxide, and identified by spectroscopic techniques. Quantitative determination was performed by high performance liquid chromatography methods with reverse phase C-18. Picrocrocin, HTCC and crocin isolated by preparative TLC showed a chromatographic purity of 98%, 96% and 70%, isolation yields being 88, 98 and 70%, respectively. The isolated compounds may be useful as food colorants.