How do i extract anthraquinone from rhubarb?

Question

How do i extract anthraquinone from rhubarb?

Answer 1

Hello, very interesting question. Quinone is typically used a contraceptive. I know that if you peel off the bark off a tree cant remember the specific one and boil that for a certain time in hot water on the stove you will have successfully extracted quionone. Anyways take it easy on me on the points and its pretty interesting you ask about this.

Answer 2

In former times different methods of extraction were used to prepare medicine from rhubarb: maceration with ethanol, vine, water, percolation etc.

They all contained a mixture of ingredients, but had the laxative property of anthraquinones.

See "Off. prep." at the end of this site:

http://www.henriettesherbal.com/eclectic...

To insulate anthraquinones only you can use the methods of

Micellar extraction and preconcentration

http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cp...

Ultrasonic extraction and separation

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18280...

Preparative isolation and purification ( chromatographic )

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17516...

Unfortunatelly these are all abstracts only; for complete publication with details you have to sign in.

If you do not need information only but want to extract the anthraquinones, column chromatography should be the easiest method ( without too much expensive equipment ).

Here a publication ( Roots of Rheum emodi, see page 392 "experimental"):

http://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/cpb/...

and Rheum palmatum ( experimental, page 2 ):

http://209.85.135.104/search?q=cache:Oux...