Development of a strategy for a quick process for separation of volatile compounds in counter-current chromatography: purification of cinnamaldehyde from Cinnamomum cassia by high performance counter-current chromatography.

It is a challenge for many researchers to separate volatile compounds. In this study, we introduce a rapid and efficient method of separating target compound from the twigs of Cinnamomum cassia by high performance counter-current chromatography. Under the bioassay guidance, the total extract exhibited a potential activity against NO production in RAW 264.7 macrophages and the total extract was further separated by high performance counter-current chromatography. Cinnamaldehyde (1) was enriched by counter-current chromatography (CCC) with reversed-phase mode using n-hexane-ethyl acetate-methanol-water (1:1:1:1,v/v/v/v) as the solvent system. Further identification was achieved by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).