Chinese J. of Lishizhen Trad. Med. & Pharm. 22 (4), 829-830 (2011). Gongbaokang suppository is a traditional Chinese recipe for curing cervicitis, preventing pathological changes which may cause cervical carcinoma. Description of a method for the quality control. TLC of the extracts of the medicine 1) for Sophora flavescens, on silica gel with benzene – acetone – ethyl acetate – ammonia 10:15:20:1, detection by spraying with 5 % potassium iodobismuthate solution and viewing under daylight; 2) for Fructus Cnidii, on silica gel with toluene – ethyl acetate – n-hexane 3:3:2, detection under UV 366 nm; 3) for borneol, on silica gel with benzene – acetone 9:1, detection by spraying with 1 % vanillin in ethanol – sulfuric acid 4:1 and heating at 105 °C, viewing under UV 366 nm.

Chinese J. of Guide for Trad. Chinese Med. & Pharm. 18 (7), 76-78 (2012). Guanjieyan Babuji preparation is a herbal TCM for treating arthritis and joint diseases. For quality control, TLC on silica gel 1) for Amur Cork-tree Bark and the standard berberine hydrochloride, with toluene – ethyl acetate – methanol – isopropanol – water 60:30:20:15:3, detection by exposing to ammonia vapors and viewing under UV 366 nm; 2) for Fructus Psoraleae and the standards psoralen and angelicin, with n-hexane – ethyl acetate 4:1, detection by spraying with 10 % KOH in methanol and viewing under UV 366 nm 3) Radix et Rhizoma Rhei and the standard emodin, with petroleum ether (30-60 °C) – ethyl formate – formic acid 15:5:1, detection under UV 366 nm; 4) for Radix Astragali seu Hedysari, with chloroform – methanol 10:1, detection by exposing to ammonia vapors and viewing under UV 366 nm.

J. Planar Chromatogr. 26, 274-278 (2013). HPTLC of oroxylin A in Oroxylum indicum herbal formulations on silica gel with toluene - ethyl acetate - acetic acid 14:5:1. Quantitative determination by absorbance measurement at 275 nm. The hRf of oroxylin A was 80. Linearity was in the range of 250-1500 ng/zone. LOQ was 120 ng/zone. Recovery was in the range of 94.5-101.2 %. Intermediate/interday/intra-day precision was below 2 % (n=5). Comparable results were obatined with a validated HPLC method.

J. Planar Chromatogr. 26, 93-95 (2013). TLC of piperitone in the aerial parts of Cymbopogon proximus on silica gel with hexane - ethyl acetate 4:1. Quantitative determination by absorbance measurement at 245 nm. The hRf of piperitone was 40. Linearity was in the range of 250-1000 ng/zone. Recovery (by standard addition) was between 98.8 and 99.1 %. Intermediate/interday/intra-day precision was below 2 % (n=3).

J. of Guangzhou Chem. Engin. 41 (9), 146-147 (2013). Shuangxiang Hewei capsules are a herbal TCM preparation and contain Pogostemon cablin (Blanco) Benth. as the key drug, which is used for treatment of anorexia, vomiting, gastric distention, and limb weakness. For quality control through identification of the key drug Pogostemon cablin, TLC of the drug extracts and the standard patchouli alcohol on silica gel with cyclohexane – acetone 10:3, detection by spraying with 5 % vanillin in sulfuric acid – ethanol 1:4 and heating at 105 °C until the zones are visible in daylight.

J. Planar Chromatogr. 26, 254-259 (2013). HPTLC of ursolic acid (1), betulinic acid (2), beta-sitosterol (3), and lupeol (4) in the stem bark, root bark and leaves of Alstonia scholaris on silica gel with chloroform - methanol 99:1. Detection by dipping into vanillin-sulfuric acid reagent for 2 s, followed by heating at 96 ºC for 8 min. Quantitative determination by absorbance measurement at 680 nm. The hRf values for (1) to (4) were 18, 27, 57 and 77, respectively. Linearity was in the range of 2-10 µg/zone for (1) and 84) and 4-20 µg/zone for (2) and (3). LOD and LOQ were 330 and 1100 ng/zone for (1), 530 and 1310 ng/zone (2), 290 and 970 ng/zone for (3) and 340 and 1140 ng/zone for (4), respectively. Average recoveries (by standard addition) for (1) to (4) were between 98.9 and 100.5 %. Intermediate/interday/intra-day precision was below 2 % (n=9).

Chinese J, Mod. Drug Appl. 6 (22), 129-130 (2012). Huaxue Jietonggao ointment is herbal TCM preparation for the treatment of sprain, contusion, rheumatism, lumbago and back ache. For quality control, TLC on silica gel 1) for Capsicum annuum and the standard capsaicin, with petroleum ether (30-60 °C) – ethanol 9:1, detection under UV 254 nm; 2) for Zingiber officinale Rosc., with petroleum ether (60-90 °C) – ethyl acetate 2:1, detection by spraying with 2 % p-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde in 40 % sulfuric acid in ethanol and heating at 105 °C until the zones are visible in daylight; 3) for Heracleum hemsleyanum, with n-hexane – toluene – ethyl acetate 2:1:1, detection under UV 366 nm.

J. of Chromatogr. A 1281, 135-141 (2013). The use of detergents for the extraction, solubilization and purification of membrane proteins (MPs) is necessary due to their hydrophobic nature. Detergent quantification is essential to routine analysis because the concentration of amphiphiles is crucial in the crystallization process. HPTLC of detergents (in small quantities, bound to solubilized MPs) on silica gel with dichloromethane – methanol – acetic acid 80:19:1. The optimum HPTLC conditions were investigated using n-dodecyl-beta-D-maltoside (DDM), the most popular detergent for membrane protein crystallization. Quantification by fluorescence measurement at 366 nm using a Hg lamp. The calibration curve was linear in the range of 100-1600 ng of DDM in water and the limit of detection of was 50 ng/zone, which is the best LOD achieved to date for a routine detergent assay (not modified by the addition of NaCl, commonly used in protein buffers). In comparison with other techniques (colorimetry, GC, and FTIR) the HPTLC method has the advantage of no prior sample treatment for concentration or extraction, and no chemical labeling is required. In comparison with TLC, the HPTLC method is 100 times more sensitive. The HPTLC method is suitable for routine analysis, assay results are obtained within 3 hours and only few microliters of sample are needed.