Process for producing enriched fractions containing up to 100% of bacopasaponins from the plant materials of bacopa species

A process for producing an enriched fraction containing up to 100% of total saponins from an extract of Bacopa species, comprising:

• subjecting plant materials of Bacopa species to extraction using a solvent selected from the group consisting of water, aqueous organic solvent, an organic solvent, and mixtures thereof;
• concentrating the extract under vacuum effective for forming a dry powder;
• dispersing the dry powder in a polar organic solvent effective for forming a polar solvent extract;
• washing the polar solvent extract after removal of insolubles therefrom, with an effective amount of aqueous sodium hydroxide and water to provide at least about 95% of Bacopa saponins after treatment with an adsorbent and crystallization;
• concentrating the extract thereafter under vacuum effective for forming a dry mass containing 60-75% of total saponins;
• dissolving the dry mass in alcohol or aqueous alcohol effective for forming an alcohol or aqueous alcohol solution and then treating the solution with the adsorbent, the adsorbent including charcoal;
• concentrating the solution under reduced pressure after removing the adsorbent therefrom to form a dry mass containing 75-85% total Bacopa saponins;
• chromatographically separating the dry mass to a fraction containing more than 95% of total saponins using silica gel;
• and
• crystallizing the fraction in a suitable solvent to obtain a fraction containing the at least about 95% of Bacopa saponins, as estimated by high pressure liquid chromatography, wherein the concentration of Bacopa saponins in the fraction is greater than in a product prepared without washing with aqueous alkali and without treating with an adsorbent.