ASPECTS OF THE EXTRACTION AND PURIFICATION OF SOLASODINE FROM SOLANUM-ACULEASTRUM TISSUES

A protocol has been developed for the extraction and purification of s olasodine from plant material to complement the use of benzoylation fo r derivatization of the compound prior to high performance liquid chro matographic (HPLC) determination. Solasodine glycosides were extracted in 80% ethanol, the samples defatted with chloroform and then hydroly sed with 0.5 M hydrochloric acid. The extracts were washed with ethyl acetate, prior to increasing the pH to between 8 and 9, whereafter sol asodine was extracted with chloroform. Flash chromatography using a 15 cm silica gel column was necessary for purification of the extracts, which were then benzoylated and subjected to HPLC. In green Solanum ac uleastrum Dun. berries, 0.016% solasodine was detected, whereas in cal lus cultures of the same species no solasodine was detectable.