| abstract |
The present invention relates to a method for converting allelesin A into aloecin by hydrolysis by the following reaction. As a result, the amount of aloesin available as an extract from the juice of the aloe plant is increased and the extraction and purification of aloesin is more useful and less expensive. Since aloecin is more commercially valuable than alloresin A, the method also increases the commercial value of sap or aloe bitter from the aloe plant. The present invention optionally also includes the step of separating aloecin from p-coumaric acid. Typical hydrolysis steps used in the method are acid hydrolysis, base hydrolysis, and enzymatic hydrolysis. In the case of acid hydrolysis, the acid is any suitable organic or inorganic acid such as hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, or phosphoric acid. In the case of enzymatic hydrolysis, the hydrolase is typically an esterase, lipase or protease. |