ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study systematically the factors which affect separation and purification of the total alkaloids and mesaconitine with X -5 macroporous resin.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>With the content of the total alkaloids and mesaconitine as parameters, the optimum condition of absorption and elution were studied in the process of the purification with X -5 macroporous resin.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The X - 5 macroporous resin yielded the best separating efficiency when the concentration of the extracted solution was 1 g raw material per 1 mL, pH 12.0, the absorptive time of 6 hour and the volume of 95% ethanol (7BV pH 8) as the eluant; X -5 macroporous resins was used five times in a reproducible way. The rate of extraction and content of the total alkaloid were 80% and 30% respectively after purification with X - 5 macroprous resin.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The method can increase the purity of mesaconitine and total alkaloids.</p>