Single-Step Preparative Extraction of Artemisinin from Artemisia annua by Charcoal Column Chromatography

Abstract

Activated charcoal column chromatography was successfully applied for preparative extraction of artemisinin with high-purity from Artemisia annua L. in one single run for the first time in this study. The adsorption kinetics study showed that powdery activated charcoal had high adsorption speed for artemisinin. The experimental adsorption data fitted well using the Langmuir adsorption model. The optimal parameters for the extraction of artemisinin were obtained using a column packed with activated charcoal: the loading amount, 1 g extract/ 5 g activated charcoal; the elution mode, CH 2 Cl 2 -MeOH (2:5, v/v) for 5 BV (bed volume) after the removal of some impurities with CH 2 Cl 2 -MeOH (1:10, v/v). With this optimized condition, artemisinin was finally obtained with purity at 95.2% and the recovery at 72.3%. The developed technique would provide a feasible large-scale method for the extraction of artemisinin in pharmaceutical industry.

Green Extraction of Artemisinin from Artemisia annua L

“…Following the classification introduced in an earlier work on comparison of different solvents for extraction of artemisinin [6], we can distinguish solvents according to their physical state under normal conditions. Ethanol extraction has been described in a publicly available report [25] and also in peer-reviewed literature [20,26,27]. This implies that the first group of solvents can be used as liquids without pressurization of the extraction apparatus, although, as we already know, forced percolation of a solvent at elevated pressures results in an increased efficiency of extraction in terms of reduced extraction time (see above).…”

“…Thus, the use of preparative charcoal chromatography was described for the case of the ethanol extracts of artemisinin [27]. Thus, the use of preparative charcoal chromatography was described for the case of the ethanol extracts of artemisinin [27].…”