A Study on Developing Solvents for Thin Layer Chromatographic Separation of Major Limonoids in Seeds of Citrus Natsudaidai

Abstract

Eighteen kinds of developing solvents for the thin layer chromatographic separation of limonoids contained in seeds of Citrus Natsudaidai on a silica gel G plate were examined. It was demonstrated that the crude limonoids extracted from the seed were separated into six spots with nine kinds of solvents; chloroform-acetone (9:1), ethyl acetate-n-hexane (9:1), ethyl acetate-ethyl ether-n-hexane (5:4:1), methylenechloride-ethyl ether-acetic acid (185:15:2), benzene-chloroform-ethyl ether-acetic acid (8.5:8.5:3:1 and 13:13:13:1) and chloroform-ethyl ether-acetic acid (130:65:2, 26:13:1 and 30: 10:1). Both benzene-chloroform-ethyl ether-acetic acid (13:13:13:1) and chloroform-ethyl ether-acetic acid (130:65:2) systems were better than any other solvents.