Aspects of the extraction and purification of solasodine from <i>Solanum aculeastrum</i> tissues

Abstract

Abstract A protocol has been developed for the extraction and purification of solasodine from plant material to complement the use of benzoylation for derivatization of the compound prior to high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) determination. Solasodine glycosides were extracted in 80% ethanol, the samples defatted with chloroform and then hydrolysed with 0.5 M hydrochloric acid. The extracts were washed with ethyl acetate, prior to increasing the pH to between 8 and 9, whereafter solasodine was extracted with chloroform. Flash chromatography using a 15 cm silica gel column was necessary for purification of the extracts, which were then benzoylated and subjected to HPLC. In green Solanum aculeastrum Dun. berries, 0.016% solasodine was detected, whereas in callus cultures of the same species no solasodine was detectable.