Process for producing dammarane sapogenins and ginsenosides

Abstract

This invention relates to a process for producing sapogenins and ginsenosides comprising the steps of mixing a ginsenoside extract with water, mixing the ginsenoside extract and water with an alkali-metal alcoholate solution or a hydroxide-ethanol solution to produce a mixture; or, alternatively, mixing a ginsenoside extract with ethanol, mixing the extract and ethanol with alkali-metal alcoholates solution to produce a mixture. The resultant mixture is placed in a reaction tank so that the resultant mixture can undergo chemical reactions under high temperature and high pressure effective to produce sapogenins therefrom. The temperature of the reaction tank can range between 150-300° C. and the pressure can range between 2.5 to 8.4 MPa. After the reaction is completed, an intermediate product of a mix of ginsenosides and sapogenins from the ethanol mixture is collected and the desired sapogenins and ginsenosides are separated from the intermediate product by silica-gel-column chromatography.

1 . A process of preparing sapogenins or ginsenosides, which comprises producing a ginsenoside extract from plants selected from the group consisting of  panax ginseng, panax  quinguefol and  panax  notoginseng, or from any other suitable plant which is a source of sapogenins or ginsenosides, and proceeding according to the following steps: 
 (a) (i) mixing the ginsenoside extract with water; 
 (ii) mixing the ginsenoside extract and water with an alkali-metal alcoholates solution or a hydroxide-ethanol solution to produce a mixture;  
 or alternatively,  
   (b) (i) mixing the ginsenosides extract with ethanol; 
 (ii) mixing the extract and ethanol with alkali-metal alcoholates solution to produce a mixture;  
   (c) placing the resultant mixture in a reaction tank so that the resultant mixture can undergo chemical reactions under high temperature and high pressure effective to produce sapogenins or ginsenosides therefrom;    (d) after the reaction is completed, collecting an intermediate product of a mix of ginsenosides or sapogenins from the mixture; and    (e) separating the desired ginsenosides or sapogenins from the intermediate product by silica-gel-column chromatography.    
     
     
         2 . The process as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the chemical reactions in the reaction tank occur at a temperature range of 150-300° C. and a pressure range of 2.5˜8.4 MPa.  
     
     
         3 . The process as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the chemical reactions in the reaction tank occur at a temperature range of 240-270° C. and a pressure range of 3.54.5 MPa.  
     
     
         4 . The process as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the chemical reactions in the reaction tank occur at a temperature of 240° C. and a pressure of 3.5 MPa  
     
     
         5 . The process as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the chemical reactions in the reaction tank occur at a temperature of 270° C. and a pressure of 4.5 MPa.  
     
     
         6 . A process as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the alkali metal is potassium or sodium.  
     
     
         7 . A process as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the hydroxide is sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide.  
     
     
         8 . A process as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the concentration of the alkali-metal alcoholates solution or the hydroxide-ethanol solution is 5˜50% (W/V).  
     
     
         9 . A process as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the alkali-metal alcoholate has 1˜5 carbon atoms.  
     
     
         10 . A process as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the sapogenins and ginsenosides are selected from the group consisting of PAM-120, PBM-100, PBM-100, PAN-20, PAN-30, 20(R)-aPPD, 20(S)-aPPD, 20(R)-aPPT, 20(S)-aPPT, 20(R)-Rh2, and 20(S)-Rh2.  
     
     
         11 . A process of preparing sapogenins or ginsenosides, which comprises producing a ginsenoside extract from plants selected from the group consisting of  panax ginseng, panax quinguefol  and  panax notoginseng , or from any other suitable plant which is a source of sapogenins or ginsenosides, and proceeding according to the following steps: 
 (a) (i) mixing the ginsenoside extract with water; 
 (ii) mixing the ginsenoside extract and water with an alkali-metal alcoholates solution or a hydroxide-ethanol solution to produce a mixture;  
 or alternatively,  
   (b) (i) mixing the ginsenosides extract with ethanol; 
 (ii) mixing the extract and ethanol with alkali-metal alcoholates solution to produce a mixture;  
   (c) placing the resultant mixture in a reaction tank so that the resultant mixture can undergo chemical reactions under high temperature and high pressure effective to produce sapogenins or ginsenosides therefrom;    (d) after the reaction is completed, collecting an intermediate product of a mix of ginsenosides or sapogenins from the ethanol mixture; and    (e) separating the desired sapogenins or ginsenosides from the intermediate product by silica-gel-column chromatography;    wherein, the chemical reactions in the reaction tank occur in a temperature range of 150˜300° C. and in a pressure range of 2.5˜8.4 MPa.    
     
     
         12 . The process as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the chemical reactions in the reaction tank occur at a temperature range of 240-270° C. and a pressure range of 3.5-4.5 MPa.  
     
     
         13 . The process as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the chemical reactions in the reaction tank occur at a temperature of 240° C. and a pressure of 3.5 MPa.  
     
     
         14 . The process as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the chemical reactions in the reaction tank occur at a temperature of 270° C. and a pressure of 4.5 MPa.  
     
     
         15 . A process as claimed in  claim 11  wherein the alkali metal is potassium or sodium.  
     
     
         16 . A process as claimed in  claim 11  wherein the hydroxide is sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide.  
     
     
         17 . A process as claimed in  claim 11  wherein the concentration of the alkali-metal alcoholates solution or the hydroxide-ethanol solution is 5˜50% (W/V).  
     
     
         18 . A process as claimed in  claim 11  wherein the alkali-metal alcoholate has 1˜5 carbon atoms.  
     
     
         19 . A process as claimed in  claim 11  wherein the sapogenins and ginsenosides are selected from the group consisting of PAM-120, PBM-100, PBM-100, PAN-20, PAN-30, 20(R)-aPPD, 20(S)-aPPD, 20(R)-aPPT, 20(S)-aPPT, 20(R)-Rh2, and 20(S)-Rh2.  
     
     
         20 . A process of preparing sapogenins or ginsenosides selected from the group consisting of PAM-120, PBM-100, PBM-100, PAN-20, PAN-30, 20(R)-aPPD, 20(S)-aPPD, 20(R)-aPPT, 20(S)-aPPT, 20(R)-Rh2, and 20(S)-Rh2, which comprises producing a ginsenoside extract from plants selected from the group consisting of  panax ginseng, panax quinguefol  and  panax notoginseng , or from any other suitable plant which is a source of sapogenins or ginsenosides, and proceeding according to the following steps: 
 (a) (i) mixing the ginsenoside extract with water; 
 (ii) mixing the ginsenoside extract and water with an alkali-metal alcoholates solution or a hydroxide-ethanol solution to produce a mixture;  
 or alternatively,  
   (b) (i) mixing the ginsenosides extract with ethanol; 
 (ii) mixing the extract and ethanol with alkali-metal alcoholates solution to produce a mixture;  
   (c) placing the resultant mixture in a reaction tank so that the resultant mixture can undergo chemical reactions under high temperature and high pressure effective to produce sapogenins or ginsenosides therefrom;    (d) after the reaction is completed, collecting an intermediate product of a mix of ginsenosides or sapogenins from the ethanol mixture; and    (e) separating the desired sapogenins or ginsenosides from the intermediate product by silica-gel-column chromatography;    wherein, the chemical reactions in the reaction tank occur in a temperature range of 150˜300° C. and in a pressure range of 2.5˜8.4 MPa.    
     
     
         21 . The process as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the chemical reactions in the reaction tank occur at a temperature range of 240-270° C. and a pressure range of 3.5-4.5 MPa.  
     
     
         22 . The process as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein the chemical reactions in the reaction tank occur at a temperature of 240° C. and a pressure of 3.5 MPa.  
     
     
         23 . The process as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein the chemical reactions in the reaction tank occur at a temperature of 270° C. and a pressure of 4.5 MPa.  
     
     
         24 . A process as claimed in  claim 20  wherein the alkali metal is potassium or sodium.  
     
     
         25 . A process as claimed in  claim 20  wherein the hydroxide is sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide.  
     
     
         26 . A process as claimed in  claim 20  wherein the concentration of the alkali-metal alcoholates solution or the hydroxide-ethanol solution is 5˜50% (W/V).  
     
     
         27 . A process as claimed in  claim 20  wherein the alkali-metal alcoholate has 1˜5 carbon atoms.