Abstract
This article describes the evaluation of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) obtained by wet phase inversion for facile separation of hypericins from Hypericum perforatum L. (or Saint John’s Wort, SJW). In this respect, concentrated extracts containing hypericin and pseudohypericin were used as “phyto-templates” for creating selective cavities into the pearl shaped MIPs. The obtained MIPs were characterized by infrared and by thermal analyses. Chromatographic evaluation of the MIPs was performed relative to blank samples and it was concluded that the pearls can retain selectively the hypericins from SJW extracts.
Keywords: molecularly imprinted polymer; wet phase inversion; pearls; hypericin; pseudohypericin