ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To develop an approach to the determination of saponins in Radix Cynanchi Atrati, and to optimize the parameters for purified the preparation of total saponins by macroporous resin column chromatography.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Using cynanversicoside A as a reference, the determination of saponins was performed; according to the elution rate and the purity of the products, the preparation performance of total saponins by macroporous resin was investigated, and its parameters were optimized.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The saponins in Radix Cynanchi Atrati were successfully determined at 518 nm by vanillin-perchloric acid as spray reagent. The macroporous resin HP-20 showed static absorption ratio of 59. 3 mg x g(-1); the 70% ethanol extraction of Radix Cynanchi Atrati was eluted from column of macroporous resin HP-20 by water and 30% ethanol, and the saponins were concentrated in 90% ethanol solution. The content of saponin part eluted from HP-20 column was 77.62%.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The proposed approach allows convenient and efficient preparation and purification of saponin in Radix Cynanchi Atrati.</p>