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The impact of impurities in various crude A. annua extracts on the analysis of artemisinin by liquid chromatographic methods

Pilkington, Josh L.; Preston, Chris; Gomes, Rachel L.

The impact of impurities in various crude A. annua extracts on the analysis of artemisinin by liquid chromatographic methods Thumbnail


Authors

Josh L. Pilkington

Chris Preston

RACHEL GOMES rachel.gomes@nottingham.ac.uk
Professor of Water & Resource Processing



Abstract

Analysis of Artemisia annua extracts by liquid chromatographic methods has traditionally been complicated by the presence of significant quantities of impurities. It has been observed that these impurities often remain as a solid residue after sample reconstitution, but the possibility of artemisinin remaining entrained within this waxy layer has not been detailed in the literature. This investigation found that A. annua extract impurities have a critical impact on the quantification of artemisinin by liquid chromatographic methods. Extended sample reconstitution times of up to 24 hours are required in order for the mobile phase (acetonitrile) to penetrate the residue and solubilise the artemisinin contained within.

Extracts produced using ethyl acetate, hexane-ethyl acetate (95:5, v/v), hexane and ethanol were examined in the study. Extended residue reconstitution times resulted in a significant increase in the number and concentration of impurities in the mobile phase, requiring the development of a new HPLC-UV analytical method to exact adequate separation of artemisinin for quantification. The solvent selectivity and capacity for each of the solvent extraction approaches was then determined using the new reconstitution and HPLC-UV methods.

Citation

Pilkington, J. L., Preston, C., & Gomes, R. L. (2012). The impact of impurities in various crude A. annua extracts on the analysis of artemisinin by liquid chromatographic methods. Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis, 70, 136-142. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpba.2012.06.015

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Jun 10, 2012
Online Publication Date Jun 18, 2012
Publication Date 2012-11
Deposit Date Mar 13, 2013
Publicly Available Date Mar 13, 2013
Journal Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis
Print ISSN 0731-7085
Electronic ISSN 1873-264X
Publisher Elsevier
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 70
Pages 136-142
DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpba.2012.06.015
Keywords Artemisia annua, Artemisinin, Extract Reconstitution, HPLC-UV, Malaria, Selectivity
Public URL https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1009123
Publisher URL http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jpba.2012.06.015
Additional Information NOTICE: this is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis, 70, (2013), 136-142. doi: 10.1016/j.jpba.2012.06.015