Preparative Isolation and Purification of Linderalactone and Lindenenol from Radix linderae by HSCCC

A preparative high speed countercurrent chromatography (HSCCC) method for isolation and purification of sesquiterpene lactone compounds from the Chinese traditional medicinal herb Radix linderae (Wuyao in Chinese) was successfully established by using light petroleum‐ethyl acetate‐methanol‐water (5∶5∶6∶4, v/v) as the two phase solvent system. The upper phase of the two phase solvent system was used as the stationary phase of HSCCC. Linderalactone, 40.2 mg and 64.8 mg of lindenenol were obtained from 450 mg of crude extracts in one‐step separation. The purity of linderalactone and lindenenol was 99.7% and 98.2%, respectively, as determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The structures of linderalactone and lindenenol were identified by 1H‐NMR and 13C‐NMR.