A general-purpose acidic transverse electrophoretic separation device for alkaloids in Chinese medicinal materials

Abstract

This invention discloses a universal acidic transverse electrophoretic separation device for alkaloids in traditional Chinese medicine, comprising a transverse separation channel, a positive electrode on the right, a negative electrode on the left, and an adjustable DC power supply. The channel maintains a weakly acidic environment with a pH of 2.5–6.0. ​​The right end features a vertically aligned sample inlet and a supernatant outlet, while the left side of the channel has 50 sets of corresponding control elution inlets and component collection outlets. Alkaloids migrate from right to left in the electric field, separating according to their charge-to-mass ratio and eluting at specific points for collection. This device is simple in structure, highly versatile, environmentally friendly, and has high resolution. It can cover all alkaloid-containing traditional Chinese medicines, achieving simultaneous separation of multiple components, and is suitable for the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine, the preparation of natural drugs, and large-scale production.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of biomedical separation and purification technology, specifically relating to a general-purpose electrophoresis device that simultaneously separates and selectively elutes multiple alkaloids from traditional Chinese medicine materials under an acidic system, a transverse electric field, and a multi-inlet / outlet structure with corresponding upper and lower parts. Background Technology

[0002] Alkaloids are among the most important active ingredients in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), widely found in herbs such as Coptis chinensis, Ephedra sinica, Sophora flavescens, Corydalis yanhusuo, Stephania tetrandra, and Aconitum carmichaelii. Some TCM herbs contain more than 40 different alkaloids, with similar structures, properties, and varying contents, making them a key focus and challenge in the separation of natural drugs. Currently, alkaloid separation relies heavily on traditional column chromatography, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and thin-layer chromatography (TLC). These methods generally suffer from cumbersome procedures, high organic solvent consumption, high costs, difficulty in scaling up, and poor versatility. Furthermore, existing electrophoresis devices are mostly analytical, miniaturized, and structurally simple, failing to meet the demands for multi-component, large-volume, and continuous separation in complex TCM systems. This leads to difficulties in standardizing active ingredients and a shortage of high-quality supply, severely limiting the modernization of TCM and the global application of natural drugs. Most alkaloids exhibit optimal stability, good solubility, and can be fully protonated and carry a positive charge in weakly acidic to acidic environments, making them highly suitable for directional migration in an electric field. However, existing technologies fail to fully utilize the charge difference between alkaloids under acidic conditions, lacking a complete, versatile device capable of simultaneously separating dozens of alkaloids. Therefore, developing a universal device adaptable to various Chinese medicinal herbs, relying on inherent charge differences, operating stably in acidic systems, and capable of separating multiple alkaloid components in a single operation, has significant scientific and social value. Summary of the Invention

[0003] I. Purpose of the Invention: The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of existing technologies, such as low separation efficiency, poor versatility, simple structure, and difficulty in large-scale production, and to provide a universal acidic transverse electrophoretic separation device for alkaloids in Chinese medicinal materials. This device enables one-step continuous, high-resolution, low-cost, and environmentally friendly separation of multiple alkaloids in single medicinal materials, thereby promoting the modernization of Chinese medicine and the innovation of natural drug preparation technology.

[0004] II. Technical Solution: A general-purpose acidic transverse electrophoretic separation device for alkaloids in traditional Chinese medicine, characterized by comprising a transverse separation channel, a right-side positive electrode, a left-side negative electrode, and an adjustable DC power supply; the transverse separation channel contains a weakly acidic buffer system with a pH controlled between 2.5 and 6.0, stabilizing the alkaloids by protonation and assigning them a positive charge; a sample inlet is located at the upper right end of the transverse separation channel, and a clear liquid outlet is located directly below the sample inlet, with the two aligned vertically; 50 sets of vertically aligned inlets and outlets are arranged sequentially from right to left along the transverse separation channel, each set... The upper part is the control elution inlet, and the lower part of each group is the component collection outlet. The control elution inlet and the component collection outlet correspond one-to-one. During operation, the herbal extract enters the transverse separation channel from the sample inlet. Under the influence of the electric field, the alkaloids migrate from right to left. Different alkaloids migrate at different rates due to differences in their charge-to-mass ratios, reaching their corresponding positions sequentially. Elution solution is injected through the control elution inlet corresponding to the component collection outlet, eluting the target alkaloids at specific points and collecting them separately through the lower component collection outlet. The remaining clear liquid and impurities are discharged from the clear liquid outlet on the right. This device has a universal structure for all Chinese herbal medicines; by simply adjusting the operating voltage, it can be adapted to different alkaloid-containing Chinese herbal medicines, achieving unified separation of all alkaloid-containing Chinese herbal medicines.

[0005] III. Separation Principle: Alkaloids are protonated in an acidic buffer system, becoming positively charged as a whole; a transverse electric field is formed by the positive electrode on the right and the negative electrode on the left, causing the positively charged alkaloids to migrate uniformly from right to left; different alkaloids have different mass-charge ratios and migrate at different speeds, separating and accumulating sequentially within the channel; 50 sets of corresponding upper and lower inlets and outlets enable targeted elution and individual collection of each alkaloid; the sample inlet and the supernatant outlet are aligned vertically to ensure smooth discharge of supernatant and prevent liquid accumulation within the channel.

[0006] IV. Beneficial Effects: The device features a simple and stable structure, eliminating complex circulation and packing materials, ensuring reliable operation and low cost. With 50 sets of corresponding upper and lower inlets / outlets, it can separate over 40 alkaloids in a single operation, covering all currently available alkaloid-containing Chinese medicinal herbs. Point-to-point elution collection ensures high component purity, eliminates cross-contamination, and achieves high recovery rates. The entire process operates in a weakly acidic environment, promoting the stability and resistance to degradation of alkaloids, resulting in high separation repeatability. The right-side sample inlet and supernatant outlet are aligned vertically, ensuring smooth drainage and a stable and uniform electric field. It is highly versatile; one set of equipment is suitable for all alkaloid-containing Chinese medicinal herbs, including Coptis chinensis, Ephedra sinica, Sophora flavescens, Corydalis yanhusuo, Stephania tetrandra, and Aconitum carmichaelii, without requiring changes to the system or medium. The entire process does not rely on large amounts of organic solvents, making it environmentally friendly and suitable for both research and large-scale industrial production.

[0007] Attached image description: Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a universal alkaloid acidic transverse electrophoretic separation device for Chinese medicinal materials according to the present invention; wherein: ① is the sample liquid inlet, ② is the clear liquid outlet, ③ is the control elution inlet, and ④ is the component collection outlet. "+" represents the positive electrode on the right and "-" represents the negative electrode on the left. The dotted lines in the figure are used to indicate multiple sets of identical upper and lower corresponding inlet and outlet structures omitted in the middle. This device has a total of 50 sets of upper and lower corresponding inlets and outlets along the transverse separation channel from right to left. The upper part of each set is the control elution inlet ③, and the lower part is the component collection outlet ④, which are arranged one-to-one.

[0008] Detailed Description of Embodiments: The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 As shown, a general-purpose acidic transverse electrophoretic separation device for alkaloids in traditional Chinese medicine includes a transverse separation channel, a right-side positive electrode, a left-side negative electrode, and an adjustable DC power supply. The transverse separation channel contains a weakly acidic buffer system (pH 2.5–6.0). A sample inlet is located at the upper right end of the transverse separation channel, and a clear liquid outlet is located directly below the sample inlet; the two are aligned vertically. Fifty sets of corresponding upper and lower inlets / outlets are arranged along the transverse separation channel from right to left, with the upper inlet being the control elution inlet and the lower outlet being the component collection outlet. Each control elution inlet corresponds one-to-one with a component collection outlet. The extract of the traditional Chinese medicine enters the transverse separation channel through the sample inlet. The alkaloids, being positively charged under acidic conditions, migrate from right to left in the electric field formed by the right-side positive electrode and the left-side negative electrode. Different alkaloids reach different positions due to differences in their charge-to-mass ratios and are eluted by the corresponding control elution inlet, which is then collected by the component collection outlet. The clear liquid and impurities after separation are discharged through the clear liquid outlet. The device can be adapted to the separation of alkaloids in different Chinese medicinal materials by adjusting the voltage, so that one set of equipment can be used for all Chinese medicinal materials containing alkaloids.

Claims

1. A general alkaloid acid horizontal electrophoresis separation device for traditional Chinese medicinal materials, characterized in that, It includes a lateral separation channel, a right positive electrode, a left negative electrode, and an adjustable DC power supply; the interior of the lateral separation channel is a weakly acidic buffer system (pH 2.5–6.0); a sample inlet is located at the top right end of the lateral separation channel, and a clear liquid outlet is located directly below the sample inlet, with the two aligned vertically; along the lateral separation channel from right to left, there are 50 sets of corresponding inlets and outlets, with the upper part of each set being the control elution inlet and the lower part being the component collection outlet, with the control elution inlet and the component collection outlet corresponding one-to-one.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, Alkaloids are positively charged under acidic conditions and migrate uniformly from right to left in an electric field, achieving separation based on the difference in charge-to-mass ratio.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The target alkaloids were eluted through the corresponding control elution inlet and collected separately through the component collection outlet below.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The clear liquid outlet and the sample liquid inlet are directly opposite each other, and the clear liquid and impurities are discharged by gravity.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, With 50 inlets and outlets, it is possible to simultaneously separate and collect more than 40 kinds of alkaloids from a single medicinal herb.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, This device has a universal structure and can be applied to all Chinese medicinal materials containing alkaloids simply by adjusting the voltage.

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