Large-scale isolation and purification of scoparone from Herba artemisiae scopariae by high-speed counter-current chromatography

A preparative high-speed counter-current chromatography with a two-phase solvent system composed of n-hexane-ethyl acetate-methanol- water (1:1:0.45:1.55, v/v/v/v) was successfully performed to isolate scoparone (6,7-dimethoxycoumarin, 6,7-dimethylesculetin, 6,7-DME) from the plant of Herba artemisiae scopariae, a traditional Chinese medicine. 233.5 mg Scoparone with the purity of 96.8% (determined by HPLC) was obtained in one-step elution from 800 mg crude extract. The recovery of scoparone was 91.8%, and the chemical structure of this compound was identified by IR, MS, H-1 NMR and C-13 NMR spectrum.