Simple Method for Enrichment of Azadirachtin from Neem Seeds

990-994Azadirachtin the principle active constituent of Azadirachta indica ranges from 0.3 to 0.6 per cent. A simplified procedure, when compared to established methods, has been adopted to enrich azadirachtin ‘A’ to 50 per cent using minimum possible steps without resorting to chromatographic techniques. It involves additional partition with CCl4 before final extraction which removes most of nimbin, salanin, and allied triterpenoids. Enriched product finds immense utility in preparing formulations with high azadirachtin and also in isolating pure azadirachtin by adopting preparative HPLC