J. Sep. Sci. 36, 1-19 (2013) The application of TLC in the characterization of polysaccharides from medicinal plants and fungi were reviewed. Physicochemical and structural characterization as well as fingerprinting methods were also described.

Chinese J. Prac. Med. 7 (3), 251-252 (2012). Presentation of a procedure for preparation and quality control of Qichai Hugan pills. TLC of the extracts 1) for Astragalus mongholicus, on silica gel with the lower phase of chloroform - ethyl acetate - methanol - water 10:20:11:5, detection by spraying with 10 % sulfuric acid in ethanol and heating at 105 °C for 5 min and viewing under daylight and UV 366 nm; 2) for the root of Chinese thorowax, on silica gel with the lower phase of chloroform - methanol - water 7:3:1, detection by spraying with a solution of p-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde - sulfuric acid - ethanol 1:2:18 followed by heating at 105 °C and viewing under daylight; 3) for the fruit of Chinese wolfberry, on silica gel with toluene – ethyl acetate - formic acid 15:5:2, detection under UV 366 nm; 4) for the root of red-rooted salvia, on silica gel with chloroform - acetone - formic acid 60:5:2, detection by spraying with a solution of 2 % ferric chloride - 1 % potassium ferricyanide 1:1 and viewing under daylight.

J. of China Pharm. 20 (1), 18-20 (2011). Guanxin Shengmai oral liquid is a herbal TCM preparation for promoting the secretion of saliva or body fluid and invigorating the circulation of blood. TLC of the extracts of the preparations 1) for Radix Paeoniae Rubra, on silica gel plates developed with chloroform – acetone 4:1, detection by spraying with 10 % sulfuric acid in ethanol and heating mildly, viewing under daylight; 2) for Ophitopogin japonicum (L.f) Ker-Gawl, on silica gel with chloroform – ethyl acetate – methanol – formic acid 200:25:50:1, detection by spraying with 5 % vanillin in ethanol – sulfuric acid 4:1 and heating mildly, viewing under daylight; 3) for Ginseng and Panax notoginseng (Burk.) F.H.Chen, on silica gel with the lower phase of chloroform – methanol – water 13:7:2 at 2-10 °C, detection by spraying with 10 % sulfuric acid in ethanol and heating at 105 °C, viewing under daylight; 4) for Schisandra Chinensis Turcz. Baill, on silica gel with petroleum ether (30-60 ºC) – formyl acetate – formic acid 10:5:1, detection by viewing under UV 254 nm.

J. Ethnopharmacol. 138, 755-771 (2012). HPTLC studies of Harpagophytum procumbens such as the quantification of harpagoside were reviewed. HPTLC of harpagoside in the roots of Harpagophytum procumbens on silica gel with dichloromethane – methanol – acetic acid 79:20:1. Detection by dipping into anisaldehyde – methanol – acetic acid – sulphuric acid 1:170:20:10, followed by heating at 120 °C for 5 min. Quantitative determination by absorbance measurement at 285 nm. HPTLC provides comparable results with HPLC but is less time consuming.

J. of Modern Trad. Chinese Med. 14 (7), 11-13 (2012). Olibanum is the resin from the bark of Boswellia carterii Birdw. and Boswellia bhaw. dajiana Birdw. It containis triperpenoids such as 11-keto-beta-boswellic acid (KBA), and acetyl-11-keto-beta-boswellic acid (AKBA) which show antiinflammatory and antibiotic activity. In order to discern the false from the genuine drug in market, a method for the quality control of Olibanum produced in Indonesia, Ethiopia, Somalia and India has been presented. TLC on silica gel with cyclohexane – ethyl acetate – glacial acetic acid 50:10:1, detection at UV 254 nm.

Chinese J. of Clin. Res. on Trad. Chinese Med. 4 (9), 34-35 (2012). Langchuang pills are a herbal TCM preparation for clearing heat, removing toxicity and invigorating the circulation of blood. For quality control, TLC of the extracts of the preparations on silica gel 1) for the root of red-rooted salvia, with chloroform – benzene 5:1, detection by viewing in daylight; 2) for Radices Rehmanniae, with chloroform – methanol 8:1, detection by spraying with a saturated solution of 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine in ethanol and viewing in daylight; 3) for the rhizome of Chinese Goldthread, with benzene – chloroform – ammonia 5:3:1, detection at UV 366 nm.

J. Planar Chromatogr. 26, 26-30 (2013). Four new spray reagents for the detection of amino acids were introduced: (1) 0.25 % solution of benzoic acid in ethanol, (2) 0.1 % solution of p-fluorobenzoic acid in ethanol, (3) 0.1% solution of p-chlorobenzoic acid in ethanol and (4) 0.05 % solution of p-iodobenzoic acid in ethanol. Depending on the different amino acids tested the LOD on silica gel was in the range of 0.1-1.0 µg for all four reagents. For example for cysteine the LOD was 0.1 µg with reagents (1), (3), and (4), and 0.2 µg with reagent (2).

CBS 110, 5-7 (2013). HPTLC of extracts of (1) Nauclea diderrichii, (2) Sarcocephalus pobeguinii, (3) Hua gabonii, (4) Morinda lucida, and (5) Momordica foetida on silica gel with A) toluene - ethyl acetate 19:1; B) chloroform - methnaol - water 35:15:2; C) ethyl acetate - acetic acid - formic acid - water 100:11:11:27, D) acetonitrilie - water - formic acid 15:4:1, and E) 1-butanol - acetic acid - water 7:1:2. For (1) mobile phases B and C were best suited, for (2) mobile phase B, for lipophilic compounds of the essential oil of (3) mobile phase A and for (4) and (5) mobile phase B. Bioautographic analysis using alpha- and beta-glucosidase enzym assays, acetylcholinesterase inhibition assay, and DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical reagent for detecting radical scavenging activity.