J. Liq. Chromatogr. Relat. Technol. 37, 61-72 (2014). HPTLC of khellin in the fruits of Ammi visnaga on silica gel with chloroform - acetone 9:1. Quantitative determination by absorbance measurement at 248 nm. The hRf of khellin was 29. Linearity was between 50 and 300 ng/zone. LOD and LOQ were 10 and 25 ng/mL. Recovery (by standard addition) was in the range of 98-99 %. Intermediate intra- and inter-day precision was below 1.6 % (n=6). The results obtained were comparable with HPLC results.

Chinese J. of Med. Guide 11 (1), 470-472 (2013). Shenshi Keli granule is a herbal TCM preparation for the treatment of urinary calculus. For quality control TLC on silica gel 1) for Dichondra repens Forst., with chloroform – acetone 19:1, detection by spraying with 10 % sulfuric acid in ethanol and heating at 105 °C for 5 min and viewing under UV 366 nm; 2) for Chicken gizzard’s stomach lining, with n-butanol – glacial acetic acid – water 7:1:1, detection by spraying with 0.3 % ninhydrin in n-butanol and heating at 105 °C until the zones are visible in daylight.

and Pterocephalus hookeri (Clarke) Hoeck by thin-layer chromatography) (Chinese). Chinese J. of Ethnopharm. 7 (7), 19-21 (2013). The roots of the grasses Nardostachys chinensis Batal. and Pterocephalus hookeri (Clarke) Hoeck are herbal Tibetan drug for treating epidemic disease, long fever and dysentery. During investigation of the medicinal plants growing in the Qinghai and Tibetan Plateau the following identification method for the two drugs was developed. TLC on silica gel 1) for Nardostachys chinensis Batal., a) with cyclohexane – ethyl acetate 5:1 and b) with petroleum ether (60-90 °C) – acetone 4:1, detection by spraying with 10 % sulfuric acid in ethanol and heating at 105 °C until the zones are visible in daylight. With mobile phase a) 3 zones were separated and with b) 6 zones; 2) for Pterocephalus hookeri (Clarke) Hoeck, a) with benzene – ethyl acetate 16:7 and b) with petroleum ether (60-90 °C) – acetone 3:2, all detection under UV 366 nm. With both mobile phases three blue fluorescent zones were detected.

J. of China Pharm. 26 (6), 620-622 (2012). Rheum palmatum L., a herbal TCM drug for clearing away body heat, eliminating toxin and nourishing skin, is commonly used as a component of herbal TCM preparations. However, a homologous herb, Rumex madaio Makino (syn. Rumex daiwoo Makino) is sometimes mistaken for Rheum palmatum in drug production. For quality control of rhaponiticin in antibacterial Kangjun Xiaoyan Jiaonang capsules, TLC of the extracts and the standard rhaponiticin on silica gel with ethyl acetate – acetone – water 10:7:1, detection under UV 366 nm. Quantification of rhaponiticin by HPLC. The method was successfully applied to nine batches of real life samples from five pharmaceutical factories.

Chinese J. of Inform. on TCM 21 (1), 88-90 (2014). Ziyin Mingmu pian tablet is herbal TCM for promoting blood circulation which is used for the treatment of primary pigmentary degeneration of retina and other eye diseases. For quality control, TLC on silica gel 1) for Paeonia suffruticosa Andr., with cyclohexane – ethyl acetate – glacial acetic acid 40:10:1, detection by spraying with 2 % vanillin in sulfuric acid – ethanol 1:10 and heating at 105 °C until the zones are visible in daylight and under UV 366 nm; 2) for Cornus officinalis Sieb. et Zucc., with toluene – ethyl acetate – formic acid 40:8:1, detection by spraying with 10 % sulfuric acid in ethanol and heating at 105 °C until the zones are visible in daylight; 3) for Notopterygium incisum, with cyclohexane – benzene - ethyl acetate 2:1:1, detection by spraying with 1 % vanillin in sulfuric acid – ethanol 1:4 and under UV 366 nm; 4) Acorus tatarinowii, with petroleum ether (60-90 °C) – ethyl acetate 4:1, detection under UV 366 nm. Quantification of salvianolic acid B by HPLC.

Chinese J. of Northwest Pharm. 28 (3), 231-235 (2013). Berberis heteropoda Schrank, a Xinjiang special medicinal herb, is a perennial shrub, produced in northwest and southwest China, and is widely used as a herbal TCM drug. It is used for the treatment of dysentery, diarrhea, swollen eyes, eczema, etc. For quality control, identification of three alkaloids by TLC of the sample extracts and the standards berberine hydrochloride, palmatine chloride and jatrorrhizine hydrochloride on silica gel with toluene – ethyl acetate – methanol – isopropanol – ammonia 12:6:4:3:1 (determined by investigating three mobile phase systems), detection under UV 366 nm. In addition to optimization of the stationary phase, the developing system and the detection technique, the method was validated by investigating the effects of the sample application volume (2-3 μL), the developing temperature (room temperature) and the relative humidity (42-65 %).

by high-performance thin-layer chromatography) (Chinese). J. Chinese Trad. Patent Med. 35 (12), 2752-2754 (2013). Chimonanthus nitens Oliv. is a plant of the Calycanthaceae family growing in Jiangxi and Anhui areas of China. Pharmacological studies showed that the chemical constituents of the extracts of its dry leaves are volatile oils, alkaloids, flavonoids, coumarins, etc. The dry leaves are used clinically as the main ingredient drug in TCM prescriptions for the treatment of infantile cough, respiratory tract infection, hand foot and mouth disease and chronic pelvic inflammatory disease, etc. For quality control, HPTLC of the sample extracts and the standards cineole, linalool and beta-caryophyllene on silica gel firstly with chloroform – methanol 9:1 to 5 cm and then with petroleum ether (30-60 °C) – ethyl acetate 10:1 to 10 cm, detection by spraying with 1 % vanillin in sulfuric acid – ethanol 1:4 and heating at 110 °C. Quantitative determination by densitometric evaluation at 606 nm for cineole and linalool and 545 nm for beta-caryophyllene using external standard calibration method. The content of the total unknown components is also given taking linalool as the calibration standard. Validation of the method by investigation of its linearity range (for cineole 0.7-11.4 µg/zone, r=0.990, n=7; for beta-caryophyllene 0.7-10.9 µg/zone, r=0.992, n=7; for linalool 1.8-18.0 µg/zone, r=0.990, n=7), precision (%RSD (n=6) 3.9 %, 1.5 % and 0.6 % for cineole, beta-caryophyllene and linalool, respectively), stability (within 30 min, %RSD (n=6) 2.0 %, 3.0 % and 3.3 % for cineole, beta-caryophyllene and linalool, respectively) and reproducibility (%RSD (n=6) 2.7 %, 4.4 % and 3.2 % for cineole, beta-caryophyllene and linalool, respectively). The recovery for cineole was 82.3-93.4 % (%RSD (n=3) 2.6-4.1 %), for beta-caryophyllene 86.1-96.7 % (%RSD (n=3) 2.2-3.6 %) and for linalool 95.8-109.8 % (%RSD (n=3) 1.9-2.9 %). Some unknown separated components need to be identified in a further study.

Chinese J. Sci. & Technol. Review 17, 220-221 (2013). Zhihe Piba Keli pill is a TCM compound for the treatment of cough. For quality control, microemulsion TLC of Stemona sessilifolia (Miq.) Miq., Morus alba L. and Cynanchum glaucescens (Decne.) Hand.-Mazz on polyamide thin-films with (SDS - n-butanol – n-heptane 2.7:6.3:1.0) – formic acid 9:1, detection at UV 366 nm. Demonstration by applying to real life samples indicated that the procedure was suited for quality control.