title: Preparative separation of methylswertianin, swerchirin and decussatin from the Tibetan medicinal plant Swertia mussotii using high-speed counter-current chromatography.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Xanthones, the primary constituents of Swertia mussotii, are known to possess a variety of biological activities, including anti-depressant, anti-leukaemic, anti-tumour, anti-tubercular, choleretic, diuretic, anti-microbial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, cardiotonic and hypoglycemic properties. However, high performance, environmentally friendly methods for isolating and purifying xanthones from S. mussotii are not currently available.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To develop a high performance and environmentally friendly method for the preparative separation of xanthones methylswertianin, swerchirin and decussatin from S. mussotii using high-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC).
  
  
  METHODS
  A solvent system composed of n-hexane:ethyl acatate:methanol:water (5:5:10:4, v/v/v/v) was developed for the separation method. The upper phase was used as the stationary phase, and the lower phase was used as the mobile phase at a flow rate of 1.5 mL/min, a rotation speed of 800 rpm and a temperature of 25 °C.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Using the described method, 8 mg of methylswertianin, 21 mg of swerchirin and 11 mg of decussatin with purities of over 98% could be isolated from a 150 mg crude sample. They were identified by ¹H-NMR and ¹³C-NMR analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Three xanthones in Swertia mussotii could be systematically isolated and purified using HSCCC.
authors: Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining 810001, PR China.
authors: Jing
authors: J
authors: Jia
authors: Tao
authors: T
authors: Chen
authors: Ping
authors: P
authors: Wang
authors: Guichen
authors: G
authors: Chen
authors: Jinmao
authors: J
authors: You
authors: Yongjun
authors: Y
authors: Liu
authors: Yulin
authors: Y
authors: Li
mesh_terms: D000085:Acetates / Q000737:chemistry; D003377:Countercurrent Distribution / Q000379:methods; D006586:Hexanes / Q000737:chemistry; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D000432:Methanol / Q000737:chemistry; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry; D029967:Swertia / Q000737:chemistry*; D013696:Temperature; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry; D044004:Xanthones / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D000085:Acetates; D006586:Hexanes; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012997:Solvents; D044004:Xanthones; C508659:decussatin; C550914:methylswertianin; D014867:Water; C026385:n-hexane; C034385:swerchirin; C007650:ethyl acetate; D000432:Methanol