Combination of supercritical fluid extraction with high-speed countercurrent chromatography for extraction and isolation of ethyl p-methoxycinnamate and ethyl cinnamate from Kaempferia galanga L.

Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) with high-speed countercurrent chromatography (HSCCC) was successfully used for the extraction and isolation of ethyl p-methoxycinnamate (EPMC) and ethyl cinnamate (EC) from Kaempferia galanga L. The SFE parameters including extraction temperature, extraction pressure and entrainer volume were optimized by central composite design (CCD). Then the crude extract was separated by HSCCC with a two-phase solvent system composed of n-hexane:ethyl acetate:methanol:water (7:3:8:2, v/v/v/v) in one-step within 60 min. As a result, 13 mg of EPMC and 2 mg of EC were isolated from 100 mg of crude extract with purities of 98.4% and 98.1%, as determined by HPLC. The structural identification was carried out by UV, MS and NMR spectra.