Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

A Green and Solvent-Free Process for Preparation of High-Purity (–)-Borneol from Leaves of Blumea balsamifera (L) DC

Yuan-Hui Wang¹, Hong-Yun Tian¹, Ai-Mei Wang¹, Hong-Xin Wang¹ , Chun-Li Zou²

¹State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122; ²Gui Zhou Ai Yuan Eco-Pharmaceutical Development Co Ltd, Luodian 550100, China.

For correspondence:- Hong-Xin Wang Email: xblack1983@eyou.com Tel:+8651085917795

Received: 13 May 2013 Accepted: 1 December 2013 Published: 25 January 2014

Citation: Wang Y, Tian H, Wang A, Wang H, Zou C. A Green and Solvent-Free Process for Preparation of High-Purity (–)-Borneol from Leaves of Blumea balsamifera (L) DC. Trop J Pharm Res 2014; 13(1):41-46 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v13i1.6

© 2014 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: To develop a simple and low cost process for the preparation of high-purity (–)-borneol from leaves of Blumea balsamifera (L.) DC.

Methods: An improved hydrodistillation (IHD) equipped with a vertical condenser tube was designed for extracting the volatiles (crude (–)-borneol) without solvent, and comparing with hydrodistillation-solvent extraction (HDSE) and simultaneous distillation and extraction (SDE). The sublimation was used to separated high-purity (–)-borneol. The purities of (–)-borneol products were quantitatively analyzed by gas chromatography (GC), and the (–)-borneol product was analyzed by optical activity and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and the antimicrobial activity was evaluated.

Results: The (–)-borneol content of the volatiles was 82 % in IHD, and much higher than that of HDSE (45 %) and SDE (44 %). After sublimation, the purity of separated (–)-borneol was 92 %, and the recovery was 96 %. The NMR spectral data confirmed that the product was (–)-borneol, and the specific rotation was –36.4° (20 °C, ethanol). Meanwhile, the performances of the (–)-borneol product and standard (–)-borneol were the same in antimicrobial activity.

Conclusion: The work provides a green, efficient and solvent-free process for preparation of high-purity natural (–)-borneol from B. balsamifera leaves.

Keywords: Blumea balsamifera (L.) DC., (–)-Borneol, Green method, Solvent-free distillation