Simmondsin and several related compounds are present in jojoba meal at abou
t 13% concentration. Industrial scale processes have been developed to extr
act the meal with water to yield a simmondsin concentrate that contains 43%
simmondsin and analogues. This research was undertaken to develop a practi
cal process to purify further the active constituents. Acetone, acetonitril
e, chloroform, ethanol, isopropanol, methanol, and water, alone and in vari
ous combinations and at various solvent:solids ratios were tested. Extracti
on with absolute ethanol followed by 80:20 ethanol-water increased the conc
entration of simmondsins from 42 to 75% in the ethanol extract, recovered t
he remaining simmondsins in the second extract and left a sugar and protein
residue low in residual simmondsins. Subsequent preparative chromatography
gave fractions greater than 95% purity. From the preparative HPLC, 77% of
the recovered fractions was of pharmaceutical grade and 20% was acceptable
for further refinement or recycling into the feed solution. Published by El
sevier Science B.V.