Application of CCC for the separation of lutein from a crude extract of marigold flower petals

Analytical high-speed countercurrent chromatography (HSCCC) was used for the systematic selection and optimization of the two-phase solvent system to separate lutein from the crude extract of the marigold flower petal. Lutein was obtained by preparative HSCCC with a two-phase solvent system composed of n-heptane-chloroform-acetonitrile (10 : 3: 7, v/v/v). HPLC analyses of the lutein revealed that it was over 98.5% purity. The final identification was performed by UV-VIS absorption, H-1-NMR, and C-13-NMR Spectra.