J. Planar Chromatogr. 25, 523-527 (2012). TLC of a mixture of 12 non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on silica gel with ethyl acetate - toluene - methanol - acetic acid 40:40:1:1. Quantitative determination by absorbance measurement at 254 nm. Limits of detection were in the range of 5-500 ng/zone. The method showed comparable results to a validated HPLC method.

J. Liq. Chromatogr. Relat. Technol. 35, 1565-1584 (2012). HPTLC of negundoside (1), ursolic acid (2), eugenol (3), lupeol (4), and beta-sitosterol (5) in the leaves of Vitex Negundo on silica gel with toluene - methanol 9:1. Detection by dipping in anisaldehyde sulfuric acid reagent for approximately 1 min, followed by heating at 100 °C for 5 min. Quantitative determination by absorbance measurement at 525 nm. The hRf value of compounds (1) to (5) were 47, 61, 56, 54 and 38, and selectivity regarding matrix was given. Linearity was in the range of 200-800 ng/zone for (1), 72-576 ng/zone for (2), 200-1000 ng/zone for (3), 150-900 ng/zone for (4) and 80-480 ng/zone for (5). Limits of detection and quantification were 80 and 200 ng/zone for (1), 18 and 72 ng/zone for (2), 60 and 200 ng/zone for (3), 50 and 100 ng/zone for (4) and 20 and 60 ng/zone for (5), respectively. The method provides acceptable intra-day and inter-day precision for (1) to (5). The average recoveries for compounds (1) to (5) were found to be 99.9, 100.1, 99.7, 100.0, and 99.9 %, respectively.

Food Chemistry. 139, 866-871 (2013). HPTLC of catechin (1), proanthocyanidin (PAC) A2 (2) and PAC-B1 (3) in American cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) extracts on silica gel with dichloromethane - ethyl acetate - formic acid 6:10:1. Detection by dipping into a hydrochloric solution of 1 % (w/v) vanillin, followed by heating at 110 °C for 2 min. Quantitative determination by absorbance measurement at 254 and 366 nm. The hRf values of (1), (2) and (3) were 63, 48 and 25, respectively. Linearity was in the range of 0.6-5 µg/band. Intermediate precision was below 2.1 %. Average recoveries (by standard addition) were 98.4 % for (1), 99.6 % for (2) and 98.5 % for (3).

Chinese J. of Inform. on TCM 19 (9), 59-60 (2012). Some Aconitum medicinal herbs, such as Aconite root, Radix Aconiti Kusnezoffii, Radix Aconiti Lateralis Preparata etc. are used as the component drugs in TCM anti rheumatic preparations like Hulisan capsules, Yaoxitong capsules and Panlongqi tablets. The main active component in Aconitum is aconitine which has significant anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity, but is a potent toxic ingredient as well. For quality control of the formulations and ensuring their medication safety, a method for the limit test of aconitine in Hulisan capsules, Yaoxitong capsules and Panlongqi tablets has been presented. TLC on silica gel with cyclohexane – ethyl acetate – diethylamine 10:7:1, detection first by spraying with 5 % potassium iodobismuthate in water – hydrochloric acid 200:1 and then by exposing to iodine vapors, viewing in daylight. Semiquantification of aconitine by comparison of zones with the standard applied in concentrations meeting the safety limit.

Chinese J. of Lishizhen Trad. Med. & Pharm. 22 (1), 100-101 (2011). Yangning capsules are a herbal TCM for treating skin pruritus caused by various reasons. For quality control, TLC on silica gel 1) for Radix Saposhnikoviae and Radix Angelicae Sinensis, with petroleum ether (60-90 °C) – ethyl acetate 4:1, detection under UV 366 nm; 2) for Radix Glycyrrhizae, with ethyl acetate – formic acid – glacial acetic acid 15:1:1:2, detection by spraying with 10 % sulfuric acid in ethanol and heating at 105 °C, viewing under UV 366 nm; 3) for Cortex Dictamni, with toluene ethyl acetate – formic acid 25:15:1, detection by spraying with 5 % vanillin in sulfuric acid – ethanol 1:4 and heating at 105 °C, viewing in daylight. Quantification of matrine and oxymatrine by HPLC.

CBS 107, 11-12 (2011) HPTLC of tiliroside (a cosmetic active obtained by extraction from a plant of the family Sterculiaceae) and side components kaempferol-3-glucoside, kaempferol-3-rutinoside, kaempferol, and coumaric acid on silica gel with ethyl acetate - formic acid - acetic acid- water 100:11:11:27 + 1% heptane. Detection under UV 366 nm after spraying with natural products reagent (1 % diphenylborinic acid 2-aminoethylester in methanol) and under white light after spraying with anisaldehyde sulfuric acid reagent (0.5 mL anisaldehyde in 85 mL methanol with 10 mL acetic acid and 8 mL conc. sulfuric acid) and heating at 90-125 °C for 15 min. Quantitative absorption measurement of tiliroside at 315 nm using a 4-point calibration via peak area. The tiliroside contents in the sample extracts were determined as: 1 = 1.09 µg (RSD = 0.4 %), 2 = 0.93 µg (RSD = 0.8 %), 3 = 1.19 µg (RSD = 1.2 %) and 4 = 3.32 µg (RSD = 0.3 %). During the side component analysis no kaempferol, coumaric acid, and glucose were detected in the tiliroside samples. Small amounts of kaempferol-3-glucoside and kaempferol-3-rutinoside were found. HPTLC covers several tasks: quantification of the active ingredient in a complex plant matrix for determining the quality of the raw material, in-process control for monitoring the impurity profile during the manufacturing process and the quantification of the active ingredient in the final product.

Acta of Trad. Chinese Med. & Pharm. 40 (3), 100-102 (2012). Ruxian pills are a herbal TCM for treatment of abdominal mass accumulation and breast tumors etc. The medicine is prepared by blending the decoction and powders of the component drugs with honey in proper proportion and then processing into pills. For quality control, TLC on silica gel 1) for Radix Angelicae Sinensis, with n-hexane – ethyl acetate 9:1, detection under UV 366 nm; 2) for Radix Paeoniae Rubra, with chloroform – ethyl acetate – methanol – water 200:25:50:1, detection by spraying with 5 % vanillin in sulfuric acid – ethanol 1:25 and heating at 105 °C, viewing in daylight; 3) for Spina gleditsiae, with toluene – ethyl acetate – formic acid 7:2:1, detection under UV 366 nm. Using this method the optimum extraction conditions for preparing the decoction from the crude drugs as well as the stability during storage of the final preparation were studied.

by thin-layer chromatography) (Chinese). J. of Guizhou Normal Univ. (Natural Sci.) 30 (3), 9-11 (2012). Emilia sonchifolia (Linn.) DC. is a TCM herb used in the formulations for treating conjunctivitis, tonsillitis, pneumonia, infectious hepatitis, dysentery, diarrhea, urinary tract infection, etc. For quality control TLC of the herb extracts an the standard emodin on silica gel with chloroform – methanol – formic acid 300:10:1, detection 1) under UV 366 nm; 2) by exposing to ammonia vapors and viewing under UV 366 nm.