Chinese J. of Guangdong Agr. Sci. (9), 103-105 (2012). Garlic (Allium sativum L.) contains high levels of carbohydrates (up to 75 %), the main of which are fructo oligosaccharides (FOS). FOS have antioxidative activity. The quality control of garlic has to monitor the content of FOS because it changes during its storage. TLC of the extracts of garlic on silica gel twice with n-butanol – isopropanol – water – acetic acid 7:5:4:2, detection by spraying with vanillin – sulfuric acid – ethanol – water 3:13:81:26 and heating at 100 °C for 5 min. Up to seven monosaccharides in garlic are well separated by using the procedure.

J. of Qilu Med. & Pharm. 31 (2), 75-78 (2012). Pudilan Xiaojan oral liquid is a herbal TCM preparation effective in clearing heat and removing toxicity, because of its antiinflammatory activity it is used to cure swelling caused by furuncles, pharyngitis, lymphadenitis and tonsillitis. Dandelion is the key component drug of the preparation. Analysis of the components of dandelion in the preparation by TLC on silica gel with chloroform – methanol – formic acid 18:2:1, detection under UV 366 nm.

Modern J. of Integrated Trad. Chinese & Western Med. 21 (16), 1786-1788 (2012). Ruoshiming oral liquid is a herbal TCM preparation for the treatment of children’s optic nerve hypoplasia, myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism. For identification, TLC of the extracts of the preparations on silica gel 1) for Radix Rehmanniae Preparata, with benzene – diethyl ether 5:2, detection by spraying with 2 % ferric chloride – 2 % potassium ferricyanide 1:1 and viewing in daylight; 2) for Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae, first with ethyl acetate – methanol – water 100:17:13 and then with the upper phase of toluene – ethyl acetate – formic acid – water 20:10:1:1, detection by spraying with 3 % aluminium chloride in ethanol and viewing at UV 366 nm; 3) for Rhizoma Acori Tatarinowii, with chloroform – diethyl ether 8:1, detection by viewing in daylight; 4) for Polygonatum sibiricum, with benzene – ethyl acetate – formic acid 50:40:1, detection by spraying with potassium iodobismuthate – HCl – water 10:1:200 and viewing in daylight; 5) for Fructus Lycii, developed with benzene – diethyl ether 2:1, detection by viewing in UV 366 nm.

Chinese J. of Trad. Chinese Med. 21 (4), 585-586 (2012). Chuanxining pills are a herbal TCM preparation effective for tonifying kidney, relieving uneasiness of mind, body tranquilization, relieving a cough,and preventing asthma. They are prescribed clinically to cure bronchitis and pneumonectasis. For quality control, identification of the three main component drugs by TLC of the extracts of the preparations 1) for Epimedium davidii Franch, on silica gel with ethyl acetate – butanone – formic acid – water 10:1:1:1, detection by spraying with 2 % ferric chloride in ethanol and mild heating; 2) for Fructus Ligustri Lucidi, on silica gel with chloroform – methanol 40:1, detection by spraying with 10 % sulfuric acid in ethanol and heating mildly; 3) for Angelica sinensis, on silica gel with n-hexane - ethyl acetate 9:1, detection at UV 366 nm.

J. Chinese Med. 25 (151), 1134-1135 (2010). Yankening tablet, specially effective for diminishing inflammation, is a herbal TCM preparation with Rheum officinale as key component drug. However, some counterfeits are used to replace the certified products, thus abating seriously the curative effect of the medicine. To control the quality of the medicine a method has been presented for inspection of rhaponiticin in Yankening tablets. TLC of the extracts of the medicine on silica gel with ethyl acetate – butanone – formic acid – water 10:7:1:1, detection under UV 366 nm. Identification 1) by fingerprint comparison with the standard rhaponiticin; 2) by comparing the online scanning spectra over the wavelength range from 200 – 700 nm.

Chinese J. of Health Industry (4), 99-101 (2012). Guangdong Achyranthes aspera, a herbal TCM drug, is the dried root of Eupatorium chinense L. which is used for the treatment of laryngeal diseases. Achyranthes aspera, another traditional Chinese herbal crude drug, is the dried root of Achyranthes aspera L. It has a similar shape and properties as Guangdong Achyranthes aspera, but contains different active constituents and is used for the treatment of colds and fever. The drugs should not be confounded. Development of a method for the differentiation of both drugs. TLC of the extracts of the crude drugs on silica gel with diethyl ether – n-hexane 2:1, detection by spraying with 5 % phosphomolybdic acid in ethanol and heating at 105 °C until the zones are visible, evaluation at UV 366 nm. In addition to TLC the drugs are differentiated by microscopy of the dried drug powders and the cross sections of the fresh 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.