Chinese J. Mod. Drug Appl. 6 (11), 124-125 (2012). Shaoshang Heji mixture is a herbal TCM preparation for treating burns with significant curative effects. For quality control, TLC on silica gel 1) for Flos Lonicerae and the standard chlorogenic acid, with ethyl acetate – formic acid – water 16:3:6, detection under UV 366 nm; 2) for Astragalus mongholicus and the standard astragaloside A, with the lower phase of chloroform – methanol - water 13:7:2, detection by spraying with 10 % sulfuric acid in ethanol and heating at 105 ° for 5 min, evaluation in daylight and under UV 366 nm.

J. of China Pharm. 22 (6), 57-58 (2013). Fuketiaojing Jiaonang capsules are a herbal TCM preparation for the treatment of irregular menstruation and menstrual pain. For quality control, TLC on silica gel 1) for Angelica sinensis and Ligusticum chuanxiong, with cyclohexane – ethyl acetate 9:1, detection under UV 366 nm; 2) for Cyperus rotundus, with chloroform – ethyl acetate – methanol 50:10:1, detection by spraying with 5 % p-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde in 10 % sulfuric acid and heating until the zones are visible in daylight; 3) for Corydalis yanhusuo W. T. Wang ex Z. Y. Su et C. Y. Wu, with n-butanol – glacial acetic acid – water 7:1:2, detection under UV 366 nm.

Chinese J. of Guide for Trad. Chinese Med. & Pharm. 2 (2), 97-99 (2013). Sanhuang zhiyang chaji liniment is a herbal TCM preparation prescribed for treating skin itching, carbuncle furuncle, acute eczema, impetigo and skin infection. For quality control, TLC on silica gel 1) for Cortex Phellodendri Chinensis and the standard berberine hydrochloride, with toluene – ethyl acetate – isopropanol – methanol – ammonia 12:6:3:1:1, detection by exposure to ammonia vapors and viewing under UV 366 nm; 2) for Radix Scutellariae and the standard baicalin, with ethyl acetate – butanone – methanol – water 5:3:1:1, detection by spaying with 1 % ferric chloride in ethanol and viewing in daylight; 3) for Radix et Rhizoma Rhei and the standard emodin, with petroleum ether (60-90 °C) – ethyl formate – formic acid 15:5:1, detection under UV 366 nm; 4) for Radix Sophorae Flavescentis and the standard matrine, with benzene – propanol – ethyl acetate – ammonia 10:15:20:1, detection by spaying with 5 % potassium iodobismuthate in hydrochloric acid – water 1:200 and viewing in daylight.

Chinese J. Econ. Forest Res. 31 (2), 142-145 (2013). Compared to other analytical techniques TLC has the advantage of no/minor sample pretreatment, simultaneous separation and determination of numerous and complex samples. Determination of polypeptide in protolysate of Camellia oleifera cake by TLC on silica gel with n-butanol – ethanol – water 4:1:1, detection by spraying with 0.5 % ninhydrin in propanone and heating at 105 °C for 15 min and viewing in daylight. Quantification of polypeptide by densitometry at 231 nm using glutathione (a tripeptide composed of glutamic acid, cysteine and glycine) as the external calibration standard. The %RSD for repeatability was 0.03 % (n=5). Recovery by standard addition was 106.9 % (%RSD=0.06 %, n=5). The LOQ was 2 µg/zone. The results of the TLC method for a batch of real life samples were comparable with the results by RP-HPLC.

J. Liq. Chromatogr. Relat. Technol. 37, 2258-2274 (2014). HPTLC of 14-deoxy-11,12-didehydroandrographolide (1), andrographolide (2), and neoandrographolide (3) on silica gel with chloroform – methanol 7:1. Quantitative determination by absorbance measurement at 263 nm for (1), 235 nm for (2) and 212 nm for (3). The hRF values for (1) to (3) were 75, 42 and 35, respectively. Linearity was in the range of 200-900 ng/zone for (1) to (3). The intermediate/interday/intra-day precisions were below 2 % (n=3). Average recovery was 96.8 % for (1), 95.4 % for (2) and 87.6 % for (3).

J. Liq. Chromatogr. Relat. Technol. 37, 1805-1818 (2014). HPTLC of azithromycin dehydrate (1) and cefixime trihydrate (2) on silica gel with methanol – ethyl acetate – toluene – ammonia (30 %) 45:35:20:4. Quantitative determination (A) by absorbance measurement at 366 nm or (B) after spraying with stannic chloride reagent (40 mL chloroform and 40 mL glacial acetic acid were mixed and 5 mL of stannic chloride was slowly added) or (C) ethanolic sulfuric acid (20 mL of concentrated sulfuric acid in 80 mL of ethanol) followed by absorbance measurement at 450 nm for (B) and (C). The hRF values for (1) and (2) were 80 and 27 for (A) and (B) and 67 and 30 for (C). Due to concentrated sulfuric acid, (C) showed a slight change in hRF. Linearity for (1) was in the range of 1000-5000 ng/zone (A), 1500-5000 ng/zone (B) and 1000-6000 ng/zone (C) and for (2) was 400-2000 ng/zone (A), 1600-4000 ng/zone (B) and 800-2400 ng/zone (C). The intermediate/inter-day/intra-day precision was below 2 % (n=3). The LOD and LOQ for (1) was 85 and 257 ng/zone (A), 119 and 360 ng/zone (B) and 39 and 119 ng/zone (C) and for (2) it was 36 and 110 ng/zone (A), 194 and 588 ng/zone (B) and 69 and 208 ng/zone (C), respectively. Recovery was in the range of 98.2-102.4 % for both (1) and (2).

Chinese J. of Clin. Res. on Trad. Chinese Med. 5 (18), 38-40 (2013). In TCM Huaiyu Wan pills are prescribed for treating bleeding of rectum polyps, anal fissures, and hemorrhages due to ulcerative colitis. For quality control, TLC on silica gel 1) for Gardenia jasminoides Ellis, 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 until the zones are clearly visible in daylight; 2) for flowers and buds of Sophora japonica L., with ethyl acetate –formic acid – water 8:1:1, detection after spraying with 1 % aluminium chloride in ethanol under UV 366 nm; 3) for Paeonia suffruticosa Andr., with cyclohexane - ethyl acetate 3:1, detection by spraying with 2 % ferric chloride in ethanol and heating mildly until the zones are clearly visible in daylight. Quantification of rutinum by HPLC.

J. Planar Chromatogr. 27, 199-203 (2014). HPTLC of myotonin in QiYi capsules (preparation with astragalus, myotonin, thunder god vine and centipede) on silica gel with petroleum ether - diethyl ether - glacial acetic acid 83:17:1. Detection by spraying with vanillin reagent (1 % in sulfuric acid), followed by heating at 105 ºC for 3 min. Quantitative determination by absorbance measurement at 365 nm. The hRf value for myotonin was 19. The intermediate/interday/intra-day precisions were below 3.4 % (n=5).