Total Phenolic Acid Extraction via Membrane Separation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for extracting total phenolic acid from Danshen face challenges such as high water consumption, instability, and low yield, making industrialization difficult and costly, with previous processes often resulting in quality issues and active ingredient loss.

Innovation Solution

A method involving decoction of Danshen with hot water, separation using a polyamide column and macroporous adsorption resin, with adjustments in pH and elution with weak basic solutions and ethanol, to obtain total phenolic acid with high yield and quality, reducing water concentration and energy consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If water extraction and concentration methods are used to obtain total phenolic acid, then the extraction yield can be improved, but the energy consumption and production cost increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveextraction yieldVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the traditional mechanical heating concentration system with a membrane separation system. Specifically, it uses ultrafiltration membranes to separate total phenolic acid from extraction solvent without requiring high-temperature concentration, thereby dramatically reducing energy consumption while maintaining high extraction yield

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the separation parameter from temperature-based concentration to membrane pore-size-based filtration. By selecting appropriate membrane pore sizes (e.g., 100-500 Da for ultrafiltration), the system achieves separation at ambient or low temperatures, eliminating the need for energy-intensive heating and concentration processes

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If traditional extraction and concentration processes are applied, then total phenolic acid can be obtained, but the stability and quality of the active ingredients deteriorate due to high temperature and prolonged heating

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveextraction efficiencyVSAvoidstability of total phenolic acid
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent substitutes thermal concentration processes with membrane separation technology. The ultrafiltration and nanofiltration membranes physically separate total phenolic acid molecules from the extraction solvent based on size exclusion, avoiding thermal degradation and maintaining the stability and quality of the active ingredients

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces membrane separation as an intermediary process between extraction and final product recovery. The membrane acts as a selective barrier that separates components based on molecular size without requiring high temperatures, thus protecting the thermal-sensitive total phenolic acid from degradation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Manufacturing precision

If resin column chromatography is used for purification, then the purity of total phenolic acid can be improved, but the device complexity and production cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepurity of total phenolic acidVSAvoidcomplexity of purification system
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs porous membrane materials with specific pore size distributions to achieve purification. The membranes contain numerous uniform pores that selectively allow small molecules to pass while retaining larger total phenolic acid molecules, providing effective separation without the complexity of traditional chromatographic systems

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts total phenolic acid from the extraction solvent using membrane separation, taking out the desired product in a purified form directly from the mixture without requiring complex chromatographic purification steps, thus simplifying the overall process

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Productivity

If large volume of water is used for extraction, then the extraction efficiency can be improved, but the concentration and processing difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveextraction efficiencyVSAvoidcomplexity of concentration process
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical concentration process (evaporation under reduced pressure) with membrane separation. The ultrafiltration and nanofiltration membranes concentrate total phenolic acid from large volumes of extraction solvent through size-based filtration, eliminating the need for energy-intensive concentration equipment and simplifying the process

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This method achieves a higher yield of over 4% total phenolic acid with improved stability and quality, reducing energy costs and environmental impact, facilitating industrialization and maintaining the effectiveness of the active ingredients.

Implementation Method 1

separation using a polyamide column and macroporous adsorption resin

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdsorption: Adsorption

Data Source

PatentUS7641922B2Preparation and application of transhintotalphenolic acid
Publication Date: 2010.01.05 TIANJIN TASLY PHARMA CO LTD

AI summary

A process for preparing tanshintotalphenolic acid and the use of the product are disclosed. The process comprises: tanshin is hot-extracted with water, the extract is separated and refined by polyamide column and macroporous adsorption resin column, and lyophilized to obtain tanshintotalphenolic acid. The yield of the final end product is more than 4 percent based on the amount of crude drug and the content of totalphenolic acid is more than 80 percent. The tanshintotalphenolic acid obtained can be used as the medicine for preventing and treating cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases and so on.