Chinese J. of Jilin Med. Col l. 33 (1), 8-10 (2012). Citrus limon is a class of traditional Chinese medicinal plants used in various TCM preparations. To guarantee the safety and effectiveness it is significant to identify the authenticity of the crude drugs. TLC of 11 varieties of standard crude drug 1) for alkaloids with the standard synephrine, on 0.5 % NaOH containing silica gel with chloroform – ethanol – ammonia 5:5:1, detection by spraying with 1 % ninhydrin in ethanol and heating at 105 °C, viewing under UV 366 nm; 2) for flavonoids with the standard hesperidin and naringin, on silica gel with ethyl acetate – methanol – water 100:17:13, detection by spraying with 1 % aluminiumchloride in ethanol and viewing under UV 366 nm. The method demonstrated the merits of TLC, such as high throughput, fast analysis, no interferences, specificity, intuitive use and can be a base of establishing the operational standard method for the quality control of the crude drugs.

J. of Anhui Coll. of Trad. Chinese Med. 32 (6), 80-82 (2012). Shisanwei Hezhong pills are a herbal TCM formulation for regulating the spleen and stomach and for treating epigastric pain. For quality control, TLC on silica gel 1) for Rhizoma Corydalis and the standard tetrahydropalmatine, with n-hexane – chloroform – methanol 15:8:2, detection by exposing to iodine vapors and viewing in daylight and under UV 366 nm; 2) for White Paeony Root and the standard paeoniflorin, with chloroform – ethyl acetate – methanol – formic acid 200:25:50:1, detection by spraying with 5 % vanillin in sulfuric acid – ethanol 1:10 and heating at 105 °C, viewing in daylight; 3) for Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae and the standard hesperidin, with ethyl acetate – methanol - water 100:17:13, detection by spraying with 2 % aluminium chloride and viewing under UV 366 nm. Quantification of naringin by HPLC.

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 %).