Ultrasound-assisted solvent extraction of swainsonine from Oxytropis ochrocephala Bunge

Swainsonine is an indolizidine alkaloid with anticancer and antiviral potency. Extracting from locoweeds is one of strategies to produce swainsonine currently. Here, ultrasound-assisted solvent extraction was reported to significantly promote isolation and purification of swainsonine from Oxytropis ochrocephala Bunge, a popular locoweed in northwestern China. The extracted swainsonine was identified by thin layer chromatography, melting point, gas chromatographic and mass spectrometric analysis. The straightforward and simple method described here would make swainsonine more readily available and aid in medical studies.   Key words: Swainsonine, ultrasound, solvent extraction, Oxytropis ochrocephala Bunge.