Abstract: Objective: To screen the suitable resin to separate and purify the matrine and to establish the optimum technological parameters of purification. Methods: The adsorption capability of seven different macroresins SP825, D4020, D301R, D152, D201, AB-8, NKA-9 in static state were studied by UV. In these resins, the SP825 resin have the most adsorption capicity, 706.19 mg/g. Therefore SP825 resin was selected to do the different capacities experiment. The different capacities could be described with both of the Frundich and Langmuir isotherms equations. According to dynamics adsorption curve, the balance time was 40 minutes, and the balance time is shorter. 50% ethanol was the best eluantis, and the appropriate desorption conditions were volume 4 BV, and the desorption rate reached 81.646%. Matrine was separated from natural plants with it, and the results also showed that SP825 macroporous adsobent resin could well separate matrine under the conditions listed above, with a total matrinerecovery rate of over 27.59%. Conclusion: The SP825 type macroreticular adsorbent showed better comprehensive adsorption property. It can be used to purify the matrine.

Key words: matrine, macroporous resin, separation, UV, HPLC