Preparation of total sapindus-saponins for quality control

Sapindus saponin has wonderful washing fuction which is natural, environment-frendly and nontoxic. It can be developed into food industry cleaning agent. However, there is no pure sapindus saponin commercially available. With the goal of producing the total sapindus saponin for quality control, the method of ethanol extraction, butanol extraction, AB-8 macroporous resin and MCI Gel column separation was used to separate and purify sapindus saponin. The qualitative test was studied by means of Libermann-Buehard reaction and Hemolysis test. The quantitive test was made afterwards based on High Performance Liquid Chromatography/ Mass Spectrum and the method of vanillin-sulfuric acid. Libermann-Buehard reaction showed the color changes:yellow-red-purple-blue. Hemolysis test proved hemolytic. The components named Sapindoside B (882) , SapindosideA (750) , Mukurozi-saponinE1 (924) , Sapindoside L (924) , Mukurozi-saponin G (966) , Sapindoside M (966) were analysed by HPLC/MS, which were identified as Oleanolic acid saponins. Oleanolic acid was chosen as standard. Sapogenin of TSS after hydrolysis had a maximum absorption at 550nm with the method of vanillin-sulfuric acid, which was the same as Oleanolic acid in the condition of 35% hydrochloric acid, high temperature and pressure and time of 2h, the yield of sapogenin were the highest. The purity of TSS (Total Sapindus Saponin) was calculated to more than 95.2%. It could be further conclued that TSS was mainly oleanolic acid saponins and could be used for quality control as standard.