Influence of magnetic field on the morphology of the andrographolide crystal from supercritical carbon dioxide extraction-crystallization

In this paper, a supercritical fluid extraction-crystallization of andrographolide, a kind of Chinese traditional medicine, was investigated. We have studied the extraction-crystallization process with or without magnet in the extractor, respectively. It was found that the presence of magnetic field is an important factor influencing the quality of the products. SEM images showed that the crystal was slice-like in shape, and many slices reunited together in the absence of magnet. Further research showed that pressure had a certain effect on the morphology of the crystal. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.