A novel approach for synchronous transformation and extraction of psoralen from fig (Ficus carica L.) leaves based on polarity of different macroporous adsorption resins

Abstract

In this study, using fig leaves as materials, strong acidic cation exchange resin of D072 with –SO3H functional group was selected as catalyst to promote the conversion of psoralen-glucoside (PO) to psoralen (PSO), and the strong acidic cation exchange resin transformation method (SACERTM) was developed for efficient extraction of PSO from fig leaves. Under the optimized extraction conditions, the yield of PSO was 36.74 mg/g. The transformation efficiency of PO to PSO reached 70.41% using 2 g of D072 resin as catalyst. Then, PSO in fig extract was enriched efficiently by X-5 macroporous adsorption resin (MAR). After eluting with 14-fold of column volume of 70% ethanol at 0.64 BV/h of elution flow rate, the purity of PSO was 24.8-fold higher than before enrichment. The results show that SACERTM combined with MAR purification is an efficient method for extracting and enriching PSO from fig leaves.