Application of an efficient strategy based on MAE, HPLC-DAD-MS/MS and HSCCC for the rapid extraction, identification, separation and purification of flavonoids from Fructus Aurantii Immaturus.

This study presents an efficient strategy based on microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), HPLC-DAD-MS/MS and high-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC) for the rapid extraction, identification, separation and purification of active components from the traditional Chinese medicine Fructus Aurantii Immaturus. An LC-DAD-MS/MS method was applied for the screening and structural identification of main components in crude extract, and five components were preliminarily identified as neoeriocitrin, narirutin, naringin, hesperidin and neohesperidin according to their UV and mass spectra. An efficient MAE method for the extraction of the three most abundant components (narirutin, naringin and neohesperidin) was optimized by the combination of univariate and multivariate approaches. The crude extract was then separated and purified by HSCCC and a total of 61.6 mg of narirutin, 207.3 mg of naringin and 159.5 mg of neohesperidin at high purities of 98.1, 97.2 and 99.5%, respectively, were obtained from 1.42 g of crude extract. The recoveries of these compounds were 86, 93 and 89%, respectively.