RESUMO
Objective: A novel one-step extraction and purification method by using superparamagnetic adsorbents was established for separation of tanshinones from Salvia miltiorrhiza. Methods: Firstly, superparamagnetic poly hydroxyethyl methacrylate (PHEMA) microspheres were prepared by dispersion polymerization method, and their adsorptive performances of tanshinones were investigated, then these microspheres for purification of tanshinones were coupled into extraction process of tanshinones. The feasibility and separation efficiency of this one-step method were further studied. Results: The prepared PHEMA microspheres with the average diameters of 1.2 μm had superparamagnetic property and good adsorption performance for tanshinones. In comparison with two steps method including extraction and purification, one-step method showed significantly higher extraction efficiency of three tanshinones from 0.179, 0.093, and 0.452 mg/g in 5 h to 0.279, 0.176, and 0.575 mg/g in 0.5 h, with less separation process, greatly shorter time consumption from 5.5 h to 0.5 h, and good purification results. Conclusion: One-step method proposed is demonstrated feasible and has the merits of high extraction efficiency, less separation process, good purification, and rapid separation speed.