Patent Application
20120083592
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a ginseng extraction technology, and more particularly to an innovative one which is involved with continuous preparation of ginseng ginsenosides and polysaccharides.
2. Description of Related Art
The scientific name of ginseng is Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer, a kind of Araliaceae perennial herb whose root is resembled like the human being. In many Asian countries, e.g.: China, South Korea and Japan, ginseng is widely used in traditional medical treatment, as recorded in Compendium of Materia Medica: “ginseng supplements the main organs, stabilizes the spirit and soul, eradicates the evil, improve the memory and extend the life span”; the health functions include: improving antidiuresis, lowering blood pressure, enhancing vascular and nerve center system, stimulating the immune system for stronger disease resistance, increasing metabolism and reducing the blood sugar; it is also commonly used in nourishing food against deficiency of qi, anemia, diabetes and neurasthenia. The main components in ginseng include: ginsenosides and polysaccharides, which can resist tumor activity and cytotoxicity, and inhibit the proliferation of tumor cells. Ginsenosides is considered as a main active component of ginseng. The research shows that, Rb1 in ginseng ginsenosides can lower the blood lipid, resist oxidation, inflammation and adjust the immunologic functions, whilst Rg1 in ginseng ginsenosides is believed to be capable of stimulating central nervous system, resisting fatigue, improving memory and learning functions as well as promoting angiogenesis. Thus, ginseng is one of most-commonly used and effective nutritious foods.
According to typical ginseng ginsenosides preparation technology, e.g.: ROC patent No. 200808971 “a method of producing ginseng ginsenosides Rg1 by free or immobilized enzyme”, carbohydrate is mainly used to inhibit β-glucosidase enzyme activity contained in free state enzyme; after adding ginseng ginsenosides Re, a reaction is made to form ginseng ginsenosides Rg1 in a complex way. According to polysaccharides extraction or separation technology, e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 6,555,527, methanol solvent and ethanol are firstly precipitated, then polysaccharides is separated using membrane dialysis and ion gel separation method, yet, the problems of solvent residues and toxicity are also encountered.
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a continuous preparation method of ginseng ginsenosides and polysaccharides, whereby supercritical fluid technology is used to control the operating temperature and pressure, so as to separate continuously ginseng ginsenosides and polysaccharides from ginseng extract liquor, without the problems of solvent residues and toxicity.
The present invention provides a continuous preparation method of ginseng ginsenosides and polysaccharides; an operating pressure of 10-30 MPa and temperature of 40-60° C., ginseng extract liquor and supercritical solvent are poured at a preset flow rate into a separation tank, wherein ginseng extract liquor is separated to obtain ginsenosides and polysaccharides at different positions of the separation tank.
The following is a typical preferred embodiment of the present invention, which is described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings:
According to the continuous preparation method of the present invention, ginseng extract liquor and supercritical solvent are poured at a preset flow rate into the separation tank 12, wherein ginseng extract liquor is separated to obtain ginsenosides and polysaccharides at different positions of the separation tank 12. In detail, the supercritical fluid vessel 19 is firstly opened, then high-pressure metering pump 14 and valves 20 are used to control the pressure of the separation tank 12, and the temperature controller 18 is used to control the temperature of the separation tank 12, with the operating conditions: 40-60° C., 10-30 MPa, flow rate of supercritical fluid 3-9 L/hr, flow rate of ginseng extract liquor 1-3 L/hr, as listed in Table 1; then the reactant metering pump 15 is started to add the ginseng extract liquor into the separation tank 12 in a controlled way; so the ginseng extract liquor can be separated in the separation tank 12 to form ginseng ginsenosides and polysaccharides. Ginseng ginsenosides is separated at top of separation tank 12 (S), and polysaccharides separated at bottom of separation tank 12 (R).
After ginseng extract liquor is separated in the continuous separation system 10, ginseng ginsenosides at top of separation tank 12 and polysaccharides at bottom are collected, then the content is analyzed to calculate the separation efficiency of total ginsenosides (Ks), the separation efficiency of total polysaccharide (Kp) as well as selectivity. Separation efficiency of total ginsenosides (Ks) and separation efficiency of total polysaccharide (Kp) are defined below:
Ks=content of total ginsenosides at top of separation tank÷content of total ginsenosides at bottom of separation tank.
Kp=content of total polysaccharide at top of separation tank÷content of total polysaccharide at bottom of separation tank.
Selectivity:=Ks÷Kp.
When Ks=1, it indicates that the content of total ginsenosides at top of separation tank 12 is equal to the content of total ginsenosides at bottom of separation tank 12. When Kp=1, it indicates that the content of total polysaccharide at top of separation tank 12 is equal to the content of total polysaccharide at bottom of separation tank 12. Thus, if Ks>>1, it indicates that the content of total ginsenosides at separation tank 12 is easily separated at top of separation tank 12; if Kp<<1, it indicates that the content of total polysaccharide is easily separated at bottom of separation tank 12.
In addition, the separated value is subject to variable analysis by linear regression of SPSS statistical software. The statistical analysis result indicates that: CO2 solvent at flow rate (3, 6, 9 L/hr) and ginseng extract liquor at inlet rate (1, 2, 3 L/hr) do not affect the separation efficiency and selectivity (p>0.05), but the operating pressure and temperature will change the separation efficiency of total ginsenosides and total polysaccharides (p<0.05). Next, the separated value is analyzed using Response Surface Methodology of SPSS statistical software. The statistical analysis result indicates that: as shown in
According to continuous preparation method of ginseng ginsenosides and polysaccharides of the present invention, ginseng extract liquor can be separated into active ingredient—ginseng ginsenosides and polysaccharides by using supercritical fluid technology and continuous separation system; as compared with conventional extraction and separation method, the present invention enables separation of ginsenosides and polysaccharides by only controlling the operating temperature and pressure, without the problems of solvent residue and toxicity; moreover, the separation efficiency and selectivity of ginsenosides and polysaccharides can be easily calculated, and the entire system can be operated continuously.
