Chinese J. of Med. Guide 10 (34), 113-114 (2012). Zhitongfengshi pills are a herbal TCM for treating numbness of limbs and rheumatic pain. For quality conterol TLC on silica gel 1) for Fructus Gardeniae, with ethyl acetate – acetone – formic acid – water 20:14:4:1, detection by spraying with 13 % sulfuric acid in ethanol and heating mildly, viewing in daylight; 2) for Cortex Phellodendri Chinensis,with n-butanol – formic acid – water 75:16:9, detection under UV 366 nm; 3) for Radix Scutellariae, with ethyl acetate – acetone – acetic acid – water 12:6:4:3, detection by spraying with 1.5 % ferric chloride in ethanol and viewing in daylight; 4) for Radix Clematidis, with toluene - ethyl acetate – glacial acetic acid 100:15:1, detection by spraying with 15 % sulfuric acid in ethanol and heating mildly, viewing in daylight.

Chinese J. of Xizang Sci. & Technol. (232), 46-47 (2012). Jiweiqingpeng powder is a herbal TCM fomulation widely prescribed in Xizang region to treat plague diseases, fever caused by influenza, pneumonia, sore throat, etc. For quality control, TLC on silica gel 1) for Radix Inulae, with cyclohexane – ethyl acetate 3:1, detection by spraying with 5 % potassium iodobismuthate in water – hydrochloric acid 200:1 and viewing in daylight; 2) for Terminalia chebula Retz, with chloroform – formic acid – methanol 8:1:1, detection by spraying with 2 % ferric chloride in ethanol and heating at 105 °C, viewing in daylight. TLC on silica gel with cyclohexane – ethyl acetate – diethylamine 5:2:1, detection by spraying with 5 % potassium iodobismuthate in water – hydrochloric acid 200:1, viewing in daylight, limit test of aconitine by comparison with the control sample of the standard.

Chinese J. Mod. Drug Appl. 6 (11), 124-125 (2012). Shaoshang Heji mixture is a herbal TCM preparation for treating burns with significant curative effects. For quality control, TLC on silica gel 1) for Flos Lonicerae and the standard chlorogenic acid, with ethyl acetate – formic acid – water 16:3:6, detection under UV 366 nm; 2) for Astragalus mongholicus and the standard astragaloside A, with the lower phase of chloroform – methanol - water 13:7:2, detection by spraying with 10 % sulfuric acid in ethanol and heating at 105 ° for 5 min, evaluation in daylight and under UV 366 nm.

Chinese J. of Herald of Med. 32 (2), 242-244 (2013). TLC is widely used for the analysis of active components in TCM preparations. The degree of accuracy of the detection results can be confirmed by uncertainty evaluation, by which the critical value of measurement results are judged. The uncertainty assessment for the measurement process and experimental data is part of the information which has to be submitted with drug inspection reports. In this paper the TLC determination of the oleanolic acid content of Kangbingdu Jiaonang capsules is used as an example to study the uncertainty in order to improve the accuracy and reliability of data analysis and the measuring results. TLC of the extracts and the standard oleanolic acid, on silica gel with chloroform – methanol 20:1, detection by spraying with 10 % sulfuric acid in ethanol and heating at 100 °C until the zones are visible in daylight. Quantification by densitometry at 520 nm. In summary the main factors affecting the uncertainty of the results are 1) the data calculated from the calculation curve, the uncertainty due to the least squares fitting curve, the purity of the standard sample used, weighing operation and the glassware taken; 2) the uncertainty of the sample application volume due to the application tools employed; 3) the uncertainty of the sample dilution factor due to the operation proficiency. A method for the calculation of the uncertainty corresponding to above factors in TLC determination of oleanolic acid in Kangbingdu Jiaonang capsules is presented, so that the accuracy and reliability of the results can be evaluated scientifically and an objective basis is provided to improve the executive procedure employed.

Chinese J. of Northern Pharmacy 10 (3), 5-6 (2013). Fufang Huoxue Tongluojiu liquor is a herbal TCM preparation for easing traumatic injury, soft tissue injury, arthralgia, and muscle soreness. For quality control, TLC on silica gel 1) for Caesalpiniaceae, with chloroform – acetone – formic acid 8:4:1, detection by heating at 105 °C until the zones are visible in daylight; 2) for Rhizoma Corydalis and the standard tetrahydropalmatine, with toluene – acetone 9:2, detection by exposure to iodine vapors for 3 min and viewing under UV 366 nm; 3) for Flos Carthami, with chloroform – ethyl acetate – glacial acetic acid 5:4:1, detection under UV 254 nm; 4) for semi quantification of aconitine, with chloroform – ethyl acetate 1:1, detection by saturation with ammonia vapors and spraying with 5 % potassium iodobismuthate in hydrochloric acid – water 1:200 and viewing in daylight. Semi quantitative analysis by comparison with aconitine.

Chinese J. Econ. Forest Res. 31 (2), 142-145 (2013). Compared to other analytical techniques TLC has the advantage of no/minor sample pretreatment, simultaneous separation and determination of numerous and complex samples. Determination of polypeptide in protolysate of Camellia oleifera cake by TLC on silica gel with n-butanol – ethanol – water 4:1:1, detection by spraying with 0.5 % ninhydrin in propanone and heating at 105 °C for 15 min and viewing in daylight. Quantification of polypeptide by densitometry at 231 nm using glutathione (a tripeptide composed of glutamic acid, cysteine and glycine) as the external calibration standard. The %RSD for repeatability was 0.03 % (n=5). Recovery by standard addition was 106.9 % (%RSD=0.06 %, n=5). The LOQ was 2 µg/zone. The results of the TLC method for a batch of real life samples were comparable with the results by RP-HPLC.

Chinese J. of Clin. Res. on Trad. Chinese Med. 5 (18), 38-40 (2013). In TCM Huaiyu Wan pills are prescribed for treating bleeding of rectum polyps, anal fissures, and hemorrhages due to ulcerative colitis. For quality control, TLC on silica gel 1) for Gardenia jasminoides Ellis, with ethyl acetate – acetone – formic acid – water 5:5:1:1, detection by spraying with 10 % sulfuric acid in ethanol and heating at 110 °C until the zones are clearly visible in daylight; 2) for flowers and buds of Sophora japonica L., with ethyl acetate –formic acid – water 8:1:1, detection after spraying with 1 % aluminium chloride in ethanol under UV 366 nm; 3) for Paeonia suffruticosa Andr., with cyclohexane - ethyl acetate 3:1, detection by spraying with 2 % ferric chloride in ethanol and heating mildly until the zones are clearly visible in daylight. Quantification of rutinum by HPLC.

Chinese J. of Hunan Agr. Sci. & Technol. 14 (12), 1834-1838 (2013). Qishen oral solution is a herbal veterinary TCM which in pharmacological studies increased the thymus index and spleen index and improved the formation of serum hemolysin and phagosytosis of reticuloendothelia cells in immunocompromised mice and rats. For quality control, TLC on silica gel 1) for Astragalus membranaceus and the standard astragaloside A with ethyl acetate – butanone – formic acid – water 5:3:1:1, detection by spraying with 10 % sulfuric acid in ethanol and heating at 105 °C until the zones are visible in daylight and UV 366 nm; 2) for Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz. with cyclohexane - ethyl acetate 7:3, detection by spraying with 5 % p-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde in sulfuric acid – ethanol 1:10 and heating at 105 °C for 5 min, evaluation under UV 366 nm; 3) for Glycyrrhiza uralensis with ethyl acetate – formic acid – acetic acid – water 15:1:1:2, detection by spraying with 10 % sulfuric acid in ethanol and heating at 105 °C until the zones are visible in daylight and under UV 366 nm. HPLC of Codonopsis pilosula and the standard lobetyolin using a reversed phase column with acetonitrile – water 1:3, detection with an fluorescence detector.