ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF FUROHYPERFORIN FROM HYPERICUM PERFORATUM L. BY HIGH-SPEED COUNTERCURRENT CHROMATOGRAPHY

Abstract

Furohyperforin, an oxygenated analogue of the prenylated phloroglucinol hyperforin, was isolated from the extract of Hypericum perforatum L. by high-speed countercurrent chromatography (HSCCC) using a solvent system composed of hexane-methanol-water (2:1.75:0.25, v/v). Its structure was elucidated on the basis of HPLC-MS-MS, ¹HNMR, and ¹³CNMR analysis. The commercially available extract of Hypericum perforatum L. was first extracted with petroleum ether and the subextract was then subjected to HSCCC separation and purification. Totally, 3.6 g of the sample produced about 100 mg of target compound with 98% purity by HPLC analysis. This method is rapid and simple compared to traditional column chromatography.

Keywords:

• Hypericum perforatum L.
• furohyperforin
• high-speed countercurrent chromatography (HSCCC)
• HPLC-MS-MS