Triptolide is an important active component of Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F (TWHF) and possesses anti-inflammatory, immunosuppressive, male anti-fertility, and anticancer properties. A new method combining different techniques, including solid-liquid extraction, liquid-liquid partition, column chromatography and high-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC) but avoiding the use of chloroform, was developed for the isolation and purification of triptolide from the leaves of TWHF. 48 mg of triptolide at 96.5% purity was obtained from 1 kg of air-dried leaves of TWHF.
Ultrasonically assisted extraction of isoflavones from the stem of Pueraria lobata （Willd.） Ohwi has been carried out with an ultrasonic extracting apparatus （20kHz, electrical power input to the transducer in 0-650W）. The influence of the electrical power input and extraction time on the＇extraction yield is investigated in water, n-butanol, and 95% （by volume） and 50% （by volume） ethanol aqueous solution. The experimental results indicate that the yields of total isoflavones are higher in ultrasonically assisted extraction than those obtained from con-ventional extraction.Moreover,a mathematical model is proposed,by introducing the electrical power input to index the ultrsound intensity,to describe the behavior of ultrasonically assisted extraction.It is found that the model calcuations are in good agreement with the experimental data.
