Patent ID: 6309678
Filing Date: 2001-10-30
Classification: A61K,A61P,C07D

Abstract:
A process for the isolation of Silymarin, a hepatoprotective agent, from the seeds of Silybum marianum, said process comprising the steps of:i) chilling the seeds of Silybum marianum,ii) grinding the chilled seeds to a fine powder,iii) defatting the pulverized seeds by extracting it with a hydrocarbon solvent,iv) extracting the defatted seed powder with acetonitrile at 20-30.degree. C. to obtain silymarin-containing fraction as an extract,v) concentration of the sensitive silymarin fraction,vi) stirring the silymarin rich dry powder with cold dichloromethane at 5.degree. C. followed by filtration and drying with a slow purge of nitrogen gas,vii) purification of silymarin by suspending it in acetonitrile in an amount 5 times its weight and precipitating it by adding distilled water in an amount 8-12 times its weight, at 20-30.degree. C.,viii) filtering the precipitated silymarin in a closed vacuum filter having 1 to 2 .mu.m screw to form a filter cake, washing the cake three times with distilled water, andix) drying the silymarin cake in vacuum oven to obtain substantially pure silymarin.