Abstract: In this study,different methods,including recrystallization,ethanol precipitation and column chromatography,for the purification of shikimic acid from Illicium verum Hook.f. (star anise) were explored and compared.The results showed that ethanol precipitation method had good purification effect.After the step of ethanol precipitation,the purities of shikimic acid were greatly improved and reached to >82% after further purification using silica gel or macroporous resin column chromatography.A new elution system using in silica gel column chromatography was established,which contained ethyl acetate and methanol solution.Under the new elution system,silica gel column chromatography successfully separated shikimic acid and its structurally-similar compounds.The purity of the purified shikimic acid was 946%,showing a better purification effect than that of macroporous resin.Finally,a high efficient process for the extraction and purification of shikimic acid was obtained as follows:microwave extraction-preliminary purification with ethanol precipitation-further purification with column chromatography.

Key words: shikimic acid, purification, ethanol precipitation, column chromatography