of China Pharm. 26 (1), 50-53 (2012) Astragalus, as traditional Chinese medicinal herbal crude drug, is the dried root of Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bge. Var. Monghoicus (Bge.) Hisao or Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bge. It is specially effective for nourishing vitality, invigorating splenic yang, inducing diuresis for removing edema and promoting tissue regeneration. TLC of the extracts of the crude drugs on silica gel 1) for amino acids (standards arginine, alanine, proline), with carbolic acid – water 5:3 (carbolic acid was double distilled just before mixing with water), detection by spraying with 0.5 % ninhydrin in ethanol and heating at 105 ºC until the zones are visible under daylight; 2) for flavonoids (standards formononetin, calycosin glucoside, calycosin), with chloroform – methanol 10:1, detection by exposure to ammonia vapors for a few minutes and viewing under UV 254 nm.

Quim. Nova. 35, 541-545 (2012). HPTLC of isoorientin on silica gel with ethyl acetate - formic acid - water 9:1:1. Detection by dipping into a solution of diphenylboric acid-2-aminoethyl ester (100 mg) and PEG 400 (500 mg) in methanol (10 mL). Quantitative determination by fluorescence measurement at 366 nm. The HPTLC method (120 min) was almost seven times faster than the HPLC method (700 min). The amount of solvent consumed in the HPTLC method (12 mL) was almost eight-fold less than that used in the HPLC method (98 mL), indicating that HPTLC is an alternative technique for analyzing large numbers of samples.

Yunan J. of Chinese Trad. Med. & Pharm. 34 (2), 44-46 (2013). As a herbal TCM preparation for treating sprain, contusion, blood stasis and innominate toxic swelling, Shangke Tiegao wound plaster is a new generation of trauma plaster preparations, based on the traditional trauma powder and a hot melt pressure sensitive adhesive which improves the release of the drug and reduces skin irritation. The new formulation not only retains the original dosage form and characteristics of the efficacy of transdermal drug delivery, but is also convenient to use. For quality control, TLC on silica gel 1) for Coptis chinensis Franch, with toluene – ethyl acetate – isopropanol – methanol – ammonia 12:6:3:3:1, detection under UV 366 nm; 2) for Radix et Rhizoma Rhei, with n-hexane – ethyl acetate – formic acid 60:20:1, detection at 254 nm; 3) for Fructus Gardeniae, 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, viewing in daylight; 4) for Radix Sanguisorbae, with toluene (saturated with water) - ethyl acetate – formic acid 6:3:1, detection by spraying with 1 % ferric chloride in ethanol and viewing in daylight.

Chinese J. of Med. Guide 2 (9), 109-110 (2012). Coptis chinensis is a herbal TCM drug for relieving internal heat or fever. High speed countercurrent chromatography (HSCCC) is frequently applied to analyse the alkaloids of Coptis chinensis. To optimize the solvent system of HSCCC the method for determination of the partition coefficient of Coptis chinensis alkaloids was done by TLC and fluorescence spectrophotometry. The major alkaloids are coptisine, berberine, palmatine and epiberberine. The crude drug was extracted with ethanol and contained 9.2 % coptisine, 18.5 % berberine, 4.0 % palmatine and 3.5 % epiberberine. TLC on silica gel with cyclohexane – ethyl acetate – isopropanol – methanol – water – triethylamine 6:7:2:3:1 with chamber saturation for 20 min with ammonia vapors, detection at UV 366 nm. The zones were quantitatively scraped off the layer and eluted with ethanol for fluorescence spectrophotometry at UV 366 nm. Quantification by external standard calibration over the linearity range of 0.5-2.5 g/L for coptisine, berberine and epiberberine with standard addition recovery of 98.3 % (%RSD = 1.9 %, n=6), 95.3 % (%RSD = 3.4 %, n=6), 103.9 % (%RSD = 2.6 %, n=6), respectively; and 1.0-3.0 g/L for palmatine with standard addition recovery of 97.6 % (%RSD = 3.7 %, n=6). Calculation of the partition coefficient, i.e. the ratio of observed values of the analytes from the two phases, respectively, with the results for coptisine 2.20, berberine 0.29, palmatine 0.21 and epiberberine 0.61.

J. of Practical Pharmacy & Clinic 15 (11), 742-744 (2012). Xiaochaihutang dripping pills are a herbal TCM for the treatment of chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis. For quality control, TLC on silica gel 1) for Bupleurum chinense, with ethyl acetate – ethanol – water 8:2:1, detection by spraying with 2 % p-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde in sulfuric acid – ethanol 2:3 and heating at 105 °C, viewing under UV 366 nm; 2) for Radix Scutellariae, with ethyl acetate – formic acid – water 14:5:5, detection by spraying with 2 % ferric chloride in ethanol, viewing in daylight. Quantification of baicalin by HPLC.

Chinese J. of Prac. Med. 7/20, 245-247 (2012) . Liuwei Xiaohuang pills are a herbal TCM for treating abdominal distention and constipation. For quality control, TLC on silica gel 1) for Radix et Rhizoma Rhei and standard rhein, with petroleum ether (30-60 °C) – ethyl acetate – formic acid 15:5:1, detection under UV 366 nm and by exposing to ammonia vapors, viewing in daylight; 2) for Fructus Aurantii Immaturus and the standard synephrine, with the upper phase of n-butanol – glacial acetic acid – water 4:1:5, detection by spraying with 0.5 % ninhydrin in ethanol and heating at 105 °C, viewing in daylight.

Chinese J. Ethnomed. & Ethnopharm. (15), 4-5 (2012). Ershiwuwei Luronghao pills are a traditional Tibetan herbal medicine for treating hepatomegaly, cirrhosis, liver and stomach pain. For quality control, TLC on silica gel 1) for Meconopsis, with cyclohexane – ethyl acetate 6:1, detection under UV 366 nm; 2) for Syzygium aromaticum, with toluene, detection by spraying with 5 % vanillin in sulfuric acid – ethanol 1:200 and heating at 105 °C, viewing in daylight; 3) for Radix Aucklandiae, with the upper phase of cyclohexane – ethyl formate – formic acid 15:5:1, detection by spraying with 1 % vanillin in sulfuric acid – ethanol 1:200 and heating at 105 °C, viewing in daylight.

J. of China Pharm. 22 (9), 14-16 (2013). Sanyu Xugu Tie plaster is a herbal TCM preparation for the treatment of traumatic injury, contusion, stasis of blood and innominate toxic swelling. For quality control, TLC on silica gel 1) for Radix Cynanchi paniculati and the standard 2'-hydroxy-4'-methoxyacetopheone, with cyclohexane – ethyl acetate 3:1, detection by spraying with 5 % ferric chloride in ethanol and heating until the zones are visible in daylight; 2) for Oleum eucalypti and the standard cineole, with cyclohexane – ethyl acetate 19:1, detection by spraying with 1 % vanillin in sulfuric acid – ethanol 1:4 and heating at 105 °C until the zones are visible in daylight; 3) for Herba sarcandrae and the standard isofraxidin, with toluene – ethyl acetate – formic acid 9:4:1, detection under UV 366 nm; 4) for Kusnezoff monkshood root and the standard acetylbenzoylaconine, with cyclohexane – ethyl acetate diethylamine 12:8:1, detection by spraying with 5 % potassium iodobismuthate in water – hydrochloric acid 200:1 and viewing in daylight.