Isolation of Alkaloids

Alkaloids are a group of natural organic compounds containing mostly basic nitrogen atoms in a heterocyclic ring and most of them are alkaline. Alkaloids exhibit a range of biological and pharmacological activities such as antitumor, antibacterial, analgesic, and antihypertensive. Several alkaloids have been clinically used in the treatment of hypertension, gout, malaria, and other diseases. At present, alkaloids are still one of the important natural drugs with potential for development. The extraction and isolation of alkaloids from natural resources remains an important topic in the field of natural drug research and development. Usually, alkaloids extracted from plants are mixtures. Further isolation is required to obtain the desired monomer alkaloids. However, the structural diversity and alkalinity of alkaloids makes isolating desired alkaloids directly from alkaloid mixtures a very challenging task.

Our Alkaloid Isolation Methods

An important goal in alkaloid investigations is the isolation of the alkaloids present in the material to be investigated in their genuine form without any formation of artefacts. Alfa Chemistry provides alkaloid isolation services for customers. Our alkaloid isolation methods include but are not limited to the following.

• According to the basicity difference of alkaloids to separate

Each alkaloid monomer usually has a different basicity and can be separated using a PH gradient extraction method.

• According to the solubility difference of alkaloids or its salt to separate

Each monomer of the total alkaloids has a different polarity and their solubility in organic solvents is different, and this difference can be exploited to separate the alkaloids.

• According to alkaloids special functional group to separate

Some alkaloids' molecule containing phenolic hydroxyl or carboxyl group, there are Lactone or lactam structure, these groups or structure can occur reversible chemical reaction, so it can be used for separation.

• According to chromatographic to separate

Alkaloids are often complex in medicine, and the structure is similar. The isolation methods may not be completely separated as described above, thus requiring column chromatography.

(1) Adsorption column chromatography

Al₂O₃ or Silicone use as the commonly adsorbent, sometimes with cellulose, polyamide etc.

(2) Partition column chromatography

Although most alkaloids can separate with desorption chromatography, some of alkaloids’ structure is similar especially, the separation is not satisfactory, and so partition chromatography can be used.

(3) Other chromatography

High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), preparative thin layer chromatography, dry column chromatography, medium-pressure or low-pressure column chromatography is also used for the separation of alkaloids.

Service Process

Why Choose Us

• We have strong professional capabilities and have been working on alkaloid isolation for many years.
• We have a reliable instrumentation platform to ensure standardization of experimental practices.
• We provide one-stop technical services to solve your project challenges.
• We will regularly update our alkaloid isolation services and insist on bringing the latest technology to our customers.
• We provide customers with the most comprehensive services at the most favorable price, and help customers save scientific research funds reasonably.

Alfa Chemistry provides professional alkaloid isolation services to meet customer needs. If you want to know more about the service, please contact us immediately. Alfa Chemistry is always your project partner.