Isolation of the Predominant Cycloartane Glycoside, Sutherlandioside B, from Sutherlandia frutescens (L.) R.Br. by Spiral Countercurrent Chromatography

Abstract

The introduction to high-speed countercurrent chromatography of a spiral tubing support rotor has enabled the application of more polar volatile solvent systems for natural products separation, especially water soluble compounds and their metabolites. Here is reported the use of spiral countercurrent chromatography with the spiral tubing support rotor to fractionate extracts of the African medicinal plant Sutherlandia frutescens (L.) R.Br. A two-phase solvent system of ethyl acetate, methanol, water, and n-butanol, with the lower aqueous phase mobile, separated sutherlandioside B efficiently from other compounds. The purity of sutherlandioside B was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry analysis. Sufficient quantities of sutherlandioside B can be purified by this method for use in cell culture assays and the development of a sensitive antibody by which to detect the consumption and metabolism in vivo of this novel botanical.