Magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers for improved extraction of tanshinones from herbs via integrated extraction and cleanup system

• A novel technology was developed for direct separation of tanshinones from TCMs.
• This technology integrated extraction and cleanup into one step.
• This technology improved solvent extraction of tanshinones at room temperature.
• This technology had higher extraction efficiency than conventional extraction.
• This technology provided reusability of solvent.

A novel separation technology at room temperature for traditional Chinese medicines was proposed in this work by adding magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers (M-MIPs) into extraction solution and sample matrix. The M-MIPs show a more adsorption capacities and higher selectivity for the template than magnetic non-molecularly imprinted polymers (M-NMIPs) without the specific binding sites. Addition of the M-MIPs to the extraction solution provides one-step extraction and cleanup, the improvement of extraction rate and extraction yields of three tanshinones (from 0.40, 0.23 and 0.12 mg g−1 in 240 min by solvent extraction to 0.52, 0.27 and 0.19 mg g−1 in 5 min by 200 mg sorbent), and reusability of extraction solvent. The extraction yields of three tanshinones by this technology at room temperature in 5 min were higher than those by ultrasonic extraction in 30 min, by heat reflux extraction in 45 min and by solvent extraction at room temperature in 4 h. The integrated technology has the advantages of one-step extraction and cleanup, high extraction efficiency, low solvent consumption and room temperature.