Strategies are outlined for the separation of biologically active products of plant origin. The techniques involved include low-pressure liquid chromatography, semi-preparative high-performance liquid chromatography, flash chromatography and droplet counter-current chromatography. Their application to the isolation of compounds from Sesamum angolense (Pedaliaceae), Psorospermum febrifugum (Guttiferae) and Cordia goetzei (Boraginaceae) is described.