Purification of erucic acid by preparative high-performance liquid chromatography and crystallization.

Abstract

Erucic acid (C22:l fatty acid) has been found to be useful in the treatment of adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD). It appears to work by reducing the blood levels of very-long-chain fatty acids (VLCFAs) which destroy the myelin sheaths of the nerves. Erucic acid was purified by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) on columns packed with YMC C18 (10-20 microns, 120 A). Using ethanol-water as the mobile phase, the recovery of erucic acid was 69% and the purity was more than 97% as measured by gas chromatography. The amount of saturated VLCFAs was found to be within the limits specified for ALD treatment. The production rate (yield per 8 h shift) was low, however. Using methanol-water instead of ethanol-water as the mobile phase, a ninefold increase in the production rate was achieved. The recovery of erucic acid was 65% and the purity of erucic acid was 98%. All other purity specifications were met. By performing a low-temperature crystallization after the preparative HPLC step, the production rate was increased a further 142%. This represents a 22-fold increase in production rate over the ethanol-water method. The crystalline erucic acid was found to be 99% pure. All other purity requirements were met. The yield for the combined process (HPLC plus crystallization) decreased to 55%, however.

• Authors: P Painuly, C M Grill
• Journal: Journal of chromatography (J Chromatogr) Vol. 590 Issue 1 Pg. 139-45 (Jan 24 1992) Netherlands
• PMID: 1601974 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Erucic Acids
• Fatty Acids
• erucic acid

Topics

• Adrenoleukodystrophy (drug therapy)
• Chromatography, Gas
• Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
• Cold Temperature
• Crystallization
• Erucic Acids (isolation & purification, therapeutic use)
• Fatty Acids (isolation & purification)
• Flame Ionization
• Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet