A method for the efficient preparative purification of faradiol 3-O-laurate, palmitate and
myristate, the major anti-inflammatory triterpenoid esters in the flower heads of the medicinal
plant Calendula officinalis has been developed. Gram quantities of the individual compounds
were obtained with 96 to 98% purity by a combination of supercritical fluid extraction
(SFE), normal-phase and reversed-phase column chromatography. During the work-up of the
faradiol esters, accompanying minor compounds of the triterpene ester fraction were purified
and identified by spectroscopic means as maniladiol 3-O-laurate and myristate.
2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.