Abstract: High-speed count-current chromatography (HSCCC) was developed for separation and purification of pentagalloylglucose (PGG) from crude extract of Radix Paeoniae Alba by the twice-step separation. The two of biphasic systems were composed of n-hexane-ethyl acetate-methanol-water at a volume ratio of 0.5:5:1:5 and 0.5:5:0.5:5 in HSCCC, respectively. The upper organic phase was as the stationary phase and the lower aqueous phase as mobile phase. The flow rate was at 2.0 mL/min and revolution speed was at 800 rpm. The effluent was monitored with a UV detector at 280 nm. The HSCCC fractions collected were analyzed by HPLC and the target compound of PGG was separated with a purity of 95.7%. In this study, the HSCCC technique was shown to be a powerful method to purify PGG from crude extract of Radix Paeoniae Alba and could represent a new technological tool to be applicable to the preparation of PGG from this source of products.

Key words: high-speed counter-current chromatography, HPLC, Radix Paeoniae Alba, pentagalloylglucose