Screening for Astragalus hamosus Triterpenoid Saponins Using HPTLC Methods: Prior Identification of Azukisaponin Isomers

• Published in: Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Vol. 27; no. 17; p. 5376
• Main Authors: Nafti, Khouloud, Giacinti, Geraldine, Marghali, Sonia, Raynaud, Christine Delgado
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 23.08.2022; MDPI
• Subjects: Alzheimer's disease; Astragalus hamosus; Astragalus Plant - chemistry; azukisaponin; Biological activity; Breast cancer; Chromatography; Chromatography, Thin Layer - methods; Development systems; HPTLC; Isomers; Life Sciences; Metabolites; Plant Extracts - chemistry; Polarity; Purification; Saponins; Saponins - chemistry; Secondary metabolites; Seeds; Solvents; soyasaponin; Thin layer chromatography; Triterpenes - chemistry; triterpenoid saponin; azukisaponin; triterpenoid saponin; Astragalus hamosus; soyasaponin; HPTLC
• ISSN: 1420-3049; 1420-3049
• DOI: 10.3390/molecules27175376

Due to their particular structural characteristics, the extraction and isolation of saponins from plants present a serious challenge. In this study, specific extraction protocols were first implemented to extract the secondary metabolites from and, more precisely, the saponins. Subsequent purification of the extracts was based on a single chromatographic technique, high-performance thin-layer chromatography, applying two development systems: a one-step system that separated molecules according to their polarity and a multiple development system that made it possible to detect the triterpenoid saponins, azukisaponin or soyasapogenol at a retarded Rf of 0.2. The difficulties of detecting the saponins encountered during the extraction and purification of the extracts have been highlighted and the strategy carried out to isolate the saponins has been discussed.