Rapid separation of polysaccharides using a novel spiral coil column by high‐speed countercurrent chromatography

The separation of polysaccharides is time consuming. We developed and optimized a type‐J counter‐current chromatography system with a novel tri‐rotor spiral coil column for the rapid separation of polysaccharides. The optimal composition of an aqueous PEG1000/K 2 HPO 4 /KH 2 PO 4 system was found to be 14:16:14 w/w/w where the lower phase was the mobile phase. Optimal performance was achieved at a column rotational speed, temperature, and flow rate of 1200 rpm, 45°C, and 3.0 mL/min, respectively. The mobile phase was pumped from the inner terminal in a ‘‘head‐to‐tail’’ elution mode. Polysaccharide LCP‐1 (10.7 mg) was successfully obtained in high purity in one step from 50.0 mg of a crude polysaccharide extracted from the lychee fruit ( Litchi chinensis ) within 100 min. LCP‐1 possess a number‐average molecular weight and weight‐average molecular weight of 1.05 × 10 5 and 1.59 × 10 5 kDa, respectively. The monosaccharide composition consists of the molar ratio of glucose, galactose, and arabinose of 1.3:3.5:1.