PURIFICATION OF ANTI-HIV LIGNANS FROM LARREA-TRIDENTATA BY PH-ZONE-REFINING COUNTERCURRENT CHROMATOGRAPHY

Anti-HIV lignans were purified from extract of Larrea tridentata by hi gh-speed countercurrent chromatography (CCC) using pH-zone-refining CC C. When a column filled with methyl t-butyl ether, containing trifluor oacetic acid at 25 mM, was eluted with aqueous NaOH, 10 to 20 g of the crude extract was separated into NDGA (nordihydroguaiaretic acid) and its monomethyl esters rectangular peaks associated with their specifi c pH (pH zones). The method was also successfully applied to synthetic lignans, resulting in resolution of NDGA and its mono and dimethyl es ters.