Isolation of isomangiferin from honeybush (Cyclopia subternata) using high-speed counter-current chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography.

Isomangiferin was isolated from Cyclopia subternata using a multi-step process including extraction, liquid-liquid partitioning, high-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC) and semi-preparative reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Enrichment of phenolic compounds in a methanol extract of C. subternata leaves was conducted using liquid-liquid partitioning with ethyl acetate-methanol-water (1:1:2, v/v). The enriched fraction was further fractionated using HSCCC with a ternary solvent system consisting of tert-butyl methyl ether-n-butanol-acetonitrile-water (3:1:1:5, v/v). Isomangiferin was isolated by semi-preparative reversed-phase HPLC from a fraction containing mostly mangiferin and isomangiferin. The chemical structure of isomangiferin was confirmed by LC-high-resolution electrospray ionization MS, as well as one- and two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy.