Concentrated crude
saponin extract was applied to a silica gel column of
(60-120 mesh). The impurities were washed with nhexane
through a 2.4x50 cm bed of silica gel. The
column was eluted with n-butanol: acetic acid: water
(1:1:1 v/v/v). The fractions were collected and aliquots
applied as a series of spots to a strip of TLC plate,
dried, sprayed with Lieberman-Burchard reagent and
heated. Positive fractions were pooled together and
used for the experiment.