Journal Chromatogr A, 1641, 461727 (2021). HPTLc of an ethanolic maceration of Solidago gigantea roots (Asteraceae) on silica gel with n-hexane – isopropyl acetate – acetone 16:3:1, or n-hexane – isopropyl acetate – acetic acid 40:9:1. With the second mobile phase, acid residues had to be eliminated by 20 min automated drying or by 2 h incubation with potassium hydroxide in the opposite twin trough (followed by 15 min cold air streaming); this latter mobile phase allowed to obtain higher hRF values, but some butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibiting activities were lost. The chromatograms were documented at UV 254 nm and 365 nm and white light before and after A) derivatization with vanillin – sulfuric acid reagent; B) enzymatic reaction by immersion into acetylcholinesterase, BChE, glucosidase and amylase solutions; C) Aliivibrio fischeri and Xanthomonas euvesicatoria bioassays, to detect activity against Gram-negative bacteria; D) Bacillus subtilis bioassay to detect activity against Gram-positive bacteria; E) a new antifungal assay with Fusarium avenaceum. For this assay, the chromatograms were immersed 6 s into the isolated mycelium suspension (diluted to OD600 0.4-0.8) and incubated in a vapor chamber at 21 °C for 48-72 h. Inhibition zones were indicated by the lack of visible white fungal hyphae. An aqueous solution of iodonitrotetrazolium (INT, 1 mg/ml) was sprayed on the plate to enhance the contrast (bright zones on a purple background). Benomyl (a benzimidazole fungicide) was used as positive control. Eight clerodane diterpenes (including kingidiol, hautriwaic lactone, and solidagoic acids A and B) were identified from six multipotent zones by bioassay-guided purification through preparative flash chromatography and HPLC, followed by HRMS and NMR, as well as by HPTLC hyphenated to quadrupole-orbitrap HRMS: A) by eluting with methanol (flow 100 µL/min) the compounds from the plate through the oval elution head of an interface of heated electro-spray ionization (spray voltage 3.5 kV, capillary temperature 270 °C, nitrogen as sheath and auxiliary gas, full scan in negative and positive ionization modes in m/z range 50-750); B) without eluent with a DART interface (Direct Analysis in Real-Time, needle voltage 4 kV, grid voltage 50 V, helium as gas, temperature 500 °C, full scan in positive ionization mode in m/z range 100-750).

Chinese J. Chem. Anal. & Meterage 30 (10), 7-11 (2021). Sophora japonica is a commonly used traditional Chinese drug, containing mostly flavonoids, among which rutin is the main active ingredient. It has hemostatic, anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and immune regulative effects and is used in the treatment of hemorrhoids, scabies, pharyngitis, otitis media, etc. TLC for quality control of methanolic Sophora japonica extracts and a methanolic solution of the standard rutin on silica gel with ethyl acetate - methanol - formic acid - water 8:1:1:1. Detection by spraying with 2 % aluminium trichloride ethanol solution and evaluation at UV 366 nm, identification by fingerprint comparison.

Anal Chim Acta 1183 (2021) 338956. Demonstration of first on-surface adherent cell assays by investigating growth and viability of modified adherent human osteosarcoma U2OS cells (Cytotox CALUX® cell system) as a biodetector for the cytotoxicity evaluation of e.g. mycotoxins, cytostatics and plant extracts, on HPTLC plates. In the planar bioassay, the cytotoxicity of sample extracts was measured with the luciferase activity in the Cytotox CALUX® reporter cells. For direct bioresponse testing on the HPTLC plate, the U2OS cell suspension was pipetted along the the sample track. RP-HPTLC-CALUX® bioassays of Saussurea costus and Ginseng extracts on HPTLC RP-18 W with n-hexane - toluene - tetrahydrofuran 25:7:15 to 6 cm. After drying, immersion in citrate phosphate buffer pH 12, and several drying and moistening steps the cytotoxic zones were detected by bioluminescence inhibition. Two different test procedures proved Cytotox CALUX® cell viability on surface and in microtiter plate assay. The isolated cytotoxic zone was analyzed by HPTLC on RP-18 W with n-hexane - toluene - tetrahydrofuran 10:1:1 and one part of the  chromatogram cut in half was derivatized with sulfuric acid reagent and evaluated under white light, while the other part was subjected to the new planar Cytotox-CALUX® bioassay. The cytotoxic zone had the same hRF as standards costunolide and dehydrocostus lactone.

Journal of Chromatography B, 1184, 122956 (2021). Test for acetyl- and butyrylcholinesterase (AChE and BChE) inhibition without development of piperin (standard inhibitor of AChE and BChE) and ethanol – water (3:2) extracts of Iranian plants, on HPTLC silica gel prewashed twice with methanol – water 3:2 and dried 60 min at 120°C. After sample application the plate was immersed (speed 3.5 cm/s, time 2 s) into enzyme solution (6.6 units/mL AChE or 3.3 units/mL BChE in TRIS buffer 0.05 M, with bovine serum albumin 0.1 %, pH 7.8), incubation 25 min at 37°C and immersion (speed 3.5 cm/s, time 1 s) into chromogenic substrate solution (α-naphthyl acetate 0.1 % and Fast Blue salt B 0.2 % in ethanol – water, 1:2). Seven mobile phases were tested for the active samples. Best separation was obtained with toluene – ethyl acetate – formic acid – water 4:16:3:2 and with toluene – ethyl acetate – methanol 6:3:1. Before enzymatic assay, plates developed with acidic mobile phases were neutralized by spraying 3 mL citrate phosphate buffer (Na2HPO4 8 %, citric acid q.s. ad pH 7.5) followed by 10 min of automatic drying. Enzymatic assay was performed using a piezoelectric spraying device: a) pre-wetting by spraying 1 mL TRIS buffer (0.05 M, pH 7.8); b) spraying 3 mL of the enzyme solution; c) incubation 25 min in a humid box at 37°C; d) spraying 0.5 mL substrate solution; e) 5 min drying at room temperature, and then 10 min of automatic drying. By spraying, zone shift and zone diffusion, which occurred with plate immersion, were avoided. For development control, derivatization was done by piezoelectrically spraying 4 mL of sulfuric anisaldehyde reagent (anisaldehyde – sulfuric acid – acetic acid – methanol, 1:10:20:170), followed by heating 3 min at 110°C. For identification of zones of interest, direct elution with methanol from underivatized HPTLC plates through a TLC-MS interface directly to a MS. Identified zones were 3-O-acetyl-β-boswellic acid (triterpenoid) from Boswellia carteri gum-resin (Burseraceae), pimpinellin and psoralen (furocoumarins) from Heracleum persicum flowers (Apiaceae), oleuropein (seco-iridoid) from Olea europaea leaves (Oleaceae), harmine, harmaline, vasicine, deoxyvasine (alkaloids) from Peganum harmala seeds (Zygophyllaceae), costic acid (sesquiterpene) from Nardostachys jatamansi hypocotyl (Valerianaceae), elaidic, linoleic, palmitic, palmitoleic acids (fatty acids) from Pistacia atlantica fruits (Anacardiaceae).

J Chromatogr. A, 1652, 462377 (2021). Samples were vanilla tinctures, water − ethanol − ethyl acetate 1:1:1 extracts of vanilla-flavored food products and of natural Vanilla sp. (Orchidaceae) pods, oleoresin, paste and powders, as well as calibration standards of vanillin (1) and ethylvanillin (2). HPTLC on silica gel with n-hexane – ethyl acetate 1:1 for profiling, 3:2 for quantification. Other mobile phases were also tested and given in the supplement. Compounds (1) and (2) (hRF 68 and 82, respectively) were quantified by absorbance densitometry (at maximal wavelength 310 nm, deuterium lamp, scanning speed 10mm/s). Contents were found to be between 1 μg/g and 36 mg/g for (1) and null for (2) except in one tincture (62 µg/mL). Derivatizations performed for five assays: A) to detect radical scavengers, immersion (speed 3 cm/s, time 5 s) into DPPH• (0.5 mM in methanol), followed by drying for 90 s at room temperature and 30 s at 60 °C; B) to detect activity against Gram-negative bacteria, immersion (speed 2 cm/s, time 3 s) into Aliivibrio fischeri suspension, followed by recording the bioluminescence; C) to detect activity against Gram-positive bacteria, immersion (speed 3.5 cm/s, time 6 s) into Bacillus subtilis, followed by incubation 2 h at 37 °C, immersion in MTT solution, incubation for 30 min at 37 °C and heating for 5 min at 50 °C; D) to detect acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors, immersion (speed 2.5 cm/s, time 2 s) into AChE solution (666 units in TRIS buffer 0.05M, with bovine serum albumin 0.1 %, pH 7.8), incubation for 25 min at 37 °C and immersion into substrate solution (α-naphthyl acetate 0.1 % and Fast Blue salt B 0.18 % in ethanol – water, 1:2; E) to detect tyrosinase inhibitors, spraying with enzyme solution (400 unit/mL, in phosphate buffer 0.02 M, pH 6.8), followed by 2 min drying, immersion into substrate levodopa (18 mM in phosphate buffer, pH 6.8), 10 min incubation at room temperature and drying. For identification, zones of interest were transferred with methanol from underivatized HPTLC layer through a TLC-MS interface and a filter frit directly to a Quadrupole-Orbitrap MS (heated electrospray ionization, probe heater at 270°C, spray voltage 3.5kV, lock masses acetic acid for negative, dibutyl phthalate for positive ionization, mode full HR-MS scan in m/z range 50–750). Afterwards, the following substances assigned by MS were confirmed by using HPTLC comparison with standards: (1) and (2), vanillyl alcohol, vanillic acid, ethyl vanillyl ether, coumarin, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, 4-methoxybenzoic acid, 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, 4-allyl benzoic acid, oleamide, triacetin.

Chromatography Research International 2014, 626801 (2014). HPTLC of extracts of Gymnema sylvestre (Apocynaceae) in tablets, as well as standards for calibration, on silica gel (prewashed with methanol and activated at 120°C for 15 min) with toluene – ethyl acetate – methanol 65:25:14. Derivatization by immersing into sulfuric acid (5 % in methanol) and heating at 110°C for 4 min. Densitometric evaluation within 25 min in absorbance mode at 423 nm, which was the optimal wavelength for quantifying simultaneously the triterpenoid gymnemagenin (hRF 27, linearity range 100–1200 ng/band, LOD 32 ng/band, LOQ 53 ng/band) and β-sitosterol (hRF 78, linearity range 200–1200 ng/band, LOD 97 ng/band, LOQ 159 ng/band). Interday and intra-day precisions as well as recovery rates provided relative deviation values below 1 %. This method was used to determine the analyte contents in the tablets (0.041 % gymnemagenin and 0.138 % β-sitosterol), as well as to confirm the stability of the analytes in solution at room temperature after 48h.   

Frontiers in Marine Science 7, 266 (2020). Methanol extracts from marine sponge Haliclona cnidata (Chalinidae) submitted to different stresses (antibiotics and/or darkness) were separated on HPTLC silica gel with an automated 15-step gradient based on methanol, dichloromethane and n-hexane. Bioluminescence was recorded after immersing the HPTLC plates into Aliivibrio fischeri suspension. Antibacterial activity and quorum sensing enhancement were analysed on software, and Pearson’s similarity coefficient was applied to generate similarity matrices for cluster analysis (UPGMA, Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic Mean). Only slight differences were observed, especially in QS enhanced zones in stressed vs. control cultures.

J. Planar Chromatogr. 34, 403-410 (2021). HPTLC of Meyna spinosa on silica gel with ethyl acetate - water 10:1. Detection by spraying with anisaldehyde‒sulfuric acid reagent and visualized under UV light at 366 nm. Further analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization‒quadrupole-time of flight‒mass spectrometry (LC‒ESI‒Q-TOF‒MS).