OBJECTIVETo establish an optimized method for extracting saponins from Radix et Rhizoma Notoginseng (Sanqi).

METHODHPLC coupled with charged aerosol detector (CAD) was used for saponins determination. Peak areas of the main saponins notoginsenoside R1, ginsenosides Rg1, Re, Rb1, Rg2, Rh1 and Rd in Sanqi were monitored to evaluate the extract effectiveness. One-factor analysis was conducted to investigate the factors of particle size, solvent, extraction method and soaking time. Orthogonal experiment design L9 (3(4)) with different level of concentration of solvents, extraction time, extraction times and volume of the solvent, was implemented to determine the optimized extract condition.

RESULTThe optimum extract technique was that the dried and well pulverized (passed through a 80 mesh (180 +/-7.6) microm sample 1.0 g was extracted in 20 mL methanol by reflux (1.5 h) after soaked at room temperature for 0.5 h.

CONCLUSIONThe optimized technique is simple and high extraction efficiency. It provide basic data for further study on Sanqi.

Aerosols ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Panax notoginseng ; chemistry ; Saponins ; analysis ; isolation & purification

This review presents the most recent chemical and biological investigations on one of the marine invertebrates, gorgonian octocoral. It summarizes all 432 new compounds published in 2002-2009, which consists of 46 sesquiterpenoids (including 2 new natural products, NNP), 282 diterpenoids (including 4 from Pennatulacea octocoral and one artifact), 76 steroids, and 29 alkaloids or other types (2 NNP included). In this paper, according to the structure division, the new compounds are described in combination with the taxonomy of the investigated animals, and its simultaneous bioactivity results. Novel skeletons and complex structures are paid most emphasis on its features, means of structural elucidation and the proposed biogenesis pathway. The source of all new compounds and the different diterpenoid skeleton types are all listed and analyzed, as well as the commonly used Chinese names or some proposed ones for diterpenoid skeletons. Furthermore, this papers deals with all biological test toward the gorgonian new metabolites, i.e. anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial(against Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, Mycobacterium tuberculosis etc), anti-malaria, and anti-fouling as well, in which anti-cancer activity and cytotoxicity were additionally, a discussion and prospect are proposed regarding chemical overview on gorgonian. This review, hopefully, can be useful in proving data and references for further chemical and biological research of China sea gorgonian, for the studies on chemical ecology, and for the discovery of new and bioactive compounds or the marine-derived leading targets.
Alkaloids ; analysis ; Animals ; Anthozoa ; chemistry ; physiology ; Diterpenes ; analysis ; Sesquiterpenes ; analysis ; Steroids ; analysis