Current Trends in Biotechnology and Pharmacy

This research was conducted to optimize a simple methodology to extract and purify a lignan present in Linumusitatissimum(Flax seed also called as line seed). Flax seeds are the richest plant source of lignans and omega-3fatty acid. SDG-Secoisolariciresinol Diglucoside is the principallignan present in flax seeds. The extraction and purification methods vary from simple to complex depending on separation, fractionation, identification and detection of the analytes. To isolate SDG, flaxseeds were defatted by four volumes of n-hexane with continuous stirring and the wet cake was collected. Then the wet cake was heated at 70°C and added 80% (v/v) aqueous methanol, brought to alkaline pH by adding sodium hydroxide with continuous stirring for about 3 h to extract maximum yield (of SDG). Neutralization was made by adding a few drops of conc. H₂SO₄ (pH 5–6), distilled under vacuum in a rotary evaporator. The isolated lignan was purified by column chromatography using ethanol, ethyl acetate as elution system. Desired lignan fractions were collected, combined and the solvent was evaporated in a lyophilized to get the colorless solid which was identified by TLC and has been characterized by NMR, IR and LC MS. “Despite the abundant research conducted on the isolation of SDG this article presents a simple, inexpensive and ecofriendly procedure for extraction.”The isolation and purificationwas done by using ecofriendly solvents and provided complete characterizationinformation.