Fitoterapia. 2003 Jun; 74(4): 328-38.

Preparative purification of the major anti-inflammatory triterpenoid esters from Marigold (Calendula officinalis).

Hamburger M, Adler S, Baumann D, FÃ¶rg A, Weinreich B.

Institute of Pharmacy, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Semmelweisstrasse 10, Jena D-07743, Germany. [email protected]

A method for the efficient preparative purification of faradiol 3-O-laurate, palmitate and myristate, the major anti-inflammatory triterpenoid esters in the flower heads of the medicinal plant Calendula officinalis has been developed. Gram quantities of the individual compounds were obtained with 96 to 98% purity by a combination of supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), normal-phase and reversed-phase column chromatography. During the work-up of the faradiol esters, accompanying minor compounds of the triterpene ester fraction were purified and identified by spectroscopic means as maniladiol 3-O-laurate and myristate.