Selective Separation and Purification of Ginkgo Flavonol Glycosides Using Rutin Molecularly Imprinted Polymer

Ginkgo flavonol glycosides are widely used in the fields of food and medicine due to their free radical scavenging functions. The key to separating and purifying Ginkgo flavonol glycosides from complex Ginkgo biloba extracts is the selection of extraction methods with higher specificity and efficiency. Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) have attracted considerable research interest as an alternative for flavonoids extraction in complex matrices. Herein, MIP was prepared for the specific adsorption of Ginkgo flavonol glycosides by precipitation polymerization. Polymers such as 4-vinylpyridine, acrylamide, and methacrylic acid were analyzed using UV spectroscopy under different imprinting ratios as the precursor monomers. The optimal MIP was synthesized using rutin as a template, 4-vinylpyridine as the functional monomer, and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as the cross-linking agent with an imprinting ratio of 1:5:25. The microscopic morphological and physical properties, as well as the adsorption capacity and selectivity of the MIP, were characterized using instrumental characterization and adsorption experiments. Using the MIP, five kinds of the Ginkgo flavonols can be selectively adsorbed to a purification of 90% from natural Ginkgo biloba extract analyzing by HPLC with ultraviolet absorption detector. The enrichment of flavonol glycosides has potential value in the prevention and treatment of diseases.