Alkaloid Extraction

Alkaloid extraction is the process of isolating and extracting alkaloid compounds from biological sources such as plants, fungi, or microorganisms. The purpose of alkaloid extraction is to obtain a higher-purity extract of an alkaloid for further research, analysis, and application. Lifeasible, a leading plant biotechnology company with a long history of plant analysis, offers alkaloid extraction-based technologies to ensure it can extract high-purity alkaloids for its customers.

Alkaloid Extraction Methods

The solubility of alkaloids and their salts is related to the form of nitrogen atoms present in their molecules and the number of polar groups. Generally, alkaloids in the free state are insoluble or hardly soluble in water and easily soluble in organic solvents such as chloroform, ether, and acetone, etc. The salts of alkaloids have more significant polarity, easily soluble in water and alcohols, and insoluble or hardly soluble in organic solvents such as chloroform, ether, and acetone. According to the physical and chemical properties of alkaloids, Lifeasible can provide many types of extraction methods.

• Solvent extraction method

The alkaloids are dissolved in the solvent by selecting a suitable solvent such as ethanol, methanol, ether, etc. The plant material is immersed in the solvent. The control of agitation and immersion time can affect the extraction efficiency.

• Microwave-assisted extraction

Microwave-assisted extraction utilizes microwave heating energy to facilitate alkaloid extraction. Microwave energy can heat the sample in a short period, increasing the permeability of the solvent and the solubility of the alkaloids, thus improving the extraction efficiency.

• Solid phase microextraction

Solid-phase microextraction is an adsorbent-based extraction technique suitable for enriching and concentrating alkaloids. By contacting the adsorbent with the plant material, the alkaloids are adsorbed onto the solid-phase material. Then the alkaloids are released from the solid-phase material through elution and concentration steps.

• Ion exchange resin method

The acid-water extraction solution is exchanged with a cation exchange resin so that the cations of the alkaloid salts are exchanged and adsorbed, and some impurities that cannot be ionized flow out with the solution, thus separating them.

In addition to the above extraction methods, it includes the supercritical fluid extraction method, large pore adsorption resin method, and so on. In practice, it is also necessary to consider the optimization of solvent selection, extraction temperature, time, material-liquid ratio, number of extractions, etc., to obtain alkaloid extracts with higher purity and yield.

Alkaloid Extraction Services

Types of alkaloids extracts available include:

• Weakly basic alkaloids
• Water soluble alkaloids
• Volatile alkaloids

Extraction Steps

• Sample Preparation - The biological source is subjected to proper handling and preparation, such as washing, removal of impurities, drying, etc. This helps to increase the extraction efficiency and reduce the effect of interfering substances.
• Pulverization of the sample -The biological source is pulverized to give it a large surface area, facilitating the penetration of the extraction solvent and the release of the alkaloids.
• Selection of solvents - Select appropriate solvents, such as ethanol, methanol, ethers, etc., to extract the alkaloids based on the solubility and selective solubility of the target alkaloids. Different alkaloids may require different solvents.
• Procedure of extraction - The pulverized biogenic source is immersed and stirred with the selected solvent to promote the dissolution and diffusion of the alkaloids. Extraction time and temperature can be adjusted according to experimental requirements and alkaloid properties.

With state-of-the-art technology and a team of talented scientists and experts, Lifeasible is committed to providing the best alkaloid extraction services at competitive prices to customers worldwide. If you are interested in our services or have questions, please feel free to contact us or make an online inquiry.