Comparison of extraction and clean-up methods for the analysis of friedelan-3-ol and friedelin from leaves ofMaytenus aquifolium Martius (Celastraceae)

Abstract

A comparative study of three extraction methods (maceration/sonication, Soxhlet and supercritical fluid extraction) and three clean-up procedures for chromatographic analysis (high resolution gas chromatography with flame ionisation detection; HRGC-FID) of the triterpenes friedelan-3-ol and friedelin from leaves of Maytenus aquifolium Martius (Celastraceae), one of the species known in Brazil as “espinheira santa”, has been conducted. Supercritical fluid extraction utilising carbon dioxide modified with ethanol was shown to be the most effective extraction method, while clean-up utilising Florisil® as adsorbent was the most appropriate for further HRGC-FID quantitative analysis of the extracts. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.