Obtaining Biologically Active Compounds by Extraction of Valerian Roots

An effective method of obtaining biologically active substances from plant raw materials without changing their optical isomerism is extraction. The investigation results of achieving equilibrium conditions for isovaleric acid extraction from valerian roots and rhizomes are presented. The effect of the isovaleric acid chemical structure and extractant nature on achieving equilibrium conditions is shown. Extraction of valerian roots and rhizomes with 70% ethyl alcohol allows a traditional extraction process, i.e., an equilibrium straight line of Ср=С1р type. If desalinated water is used as an extractant, an unconventional case of Ср≠С1р will arise, complicated by the solvation of isovaleric acid molecules and, consequently, the corresponding equilibrium conditions. The possibility of using ion exchange to isolate isovaleric acid from the polyextract of biologically active compounds was investigated. A technological scheme for obtaining isovaleric acid using ion technologies was proposed. Isovaleric acid was identified by gas chromatography.