Purification of astilbin and isoastilbin in the extract of smilax glabra rhizome by high-speed counter-current chromatography

Purification of astilbin from the rhizome extract of Smilax glabra was conducted using a high-speed counter-current chromatograph equipped with a 700 mL column. In a single operation, 1.5 g of crude sample was separated to yield 105 mg of component astilbin and 48 mg of isoastilbin while the upper phase of the two-phase solvent system composed of n-hexane–n-butanol–water (1:1:2, v/v/v) was used for stationary phase. The chemical structures of the two flavonoid glycosides were confirmed by electrospray ionization ion trap multiple mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance experiments.