J Chromatogr A, 1609, 460438 (2020). HPTLC of defatted hydro-methanolic extract of Anarrhinum pubescens (= A. duriminium) aerial parts (Plantaginaceae) on silica gel with chloroform – methanol 9:2. When intended for MS experiments, layers were previously washed twice with methanol – water 4:1 and heated 20 min at 110 °C. Derivatization by automatic piezoelectric spraying of anisaldehyde sulfuric acid reagent, followed by heating 4 min at 105 °C. Effect-directed analysis for acetyl-cholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors was performed by successive piezoelectric sprayings with TRIS buffer, with AChE solution and (after 30 min incubation at 37 °C) with naphthyl acetate and Fast Blue salt B solution. White inhibiting zones on purple background were documented under white light, and densitometry was measured by scanning in fluorescence mode at 500 nm. One of the active bands was eluted from untreated layer with methanol through the oval elution head of a TLC-MS interface pump, into a quadrupole-Orbitrap mass spectrometer using heated electrospray ionization (HESI); a full scan mass spectrum (m/z 50−750) in the positive ionization mode was recorded, as well as HRMS/MS data across a range of collision energies (10–50 V). The compound was identified as foliamenthoyl-cinnamoyl-antirrhinoside. It was applied with two other active antirrhinosides (iridoids), all isolated from the extract through column chromatography, on an HPTLC layer without migration and submitted to AChE assay; their activity was expressed as equivalency towards rivastigmine tartrate as positive control. 

J Chromatogr A, 1629, 461511 (2020). HPTLC of methanolic extracts of female inflorescences from ten hemp varieties (Cannabis sativa, Cannabaceae) on silica gel with toluene – ethyl acetate 1:1 or (for yeast assays) on RP-18W with toluene – ethyl acetate 7:3. When intended for MS experiments, layers were previously washed twice with methanol – formic acid 10:1, once with acetonitrile – methanol 2:1 and air-dried. Chromatograms were documented under white light, UV 254 nm and for fluorescence detection (FLD) at 366 nm. Afterwards, 6 derivatization assays were performed with the following reagents, either without heating: primuline; or requiring heating 5 min at 120 °C: p-aminobenzoic acid; anisaldehyde sulfuric acid; diphenylamine aniline phosphoric acid; ninhydrin; vanillin sulfuric acid. Besides, 8 effect-directed assays (EDA) were performed for free radical (DPPH•) scavengers, for antimicrobial compounds (Gram-positive Bacillus subtilis assay, Gram-negative Aliivibrio fischeri bioluminescence assay), for phytoestrogens (planar yeast estrogen assay), for inhibitors of the following enzymes: acetyl-cholinesterase (AChE), α- and β-glucosidase, tyrosinase. AChE assay was performed by immersion (speed 3.5 cm/s, time 5 s) into AChE solution (666 units in TRIS buffer 0.05 M, with bovine serum albumin 0.1 %, pH 7.8), incubation 25 min at 37 °C, spraying with substrate solution, and heating 2 min at 50 °C. Two AChE substrate solutions were used: A) α-naphthyl acetate 0.1 % and chromogenic reagent Fast Blue salt B 0.18 % in ethanol – water 1:2, giving white inhibition bands visible on purple background under white light; B) with 3-indoxyl-3-acetate, giving black inhibition bands on blue background under UV 254 nm, which was useful to prevent false negatives when Fast Blue Salt B formed colored bands with analytes. Two bands of multipotent compounds were eluted from normal-phase layer with methanol through the oval elution head of a TLC-MS interface pump, into a quadrupole-Orbitrap mass spectrometer. Full scan mass spectra (m/z 50−750) in the positive and negative ionization modes were recorded using heated electrospray ionization (HESI, spray voltage 3.5 kV, capillary temperature 270 °C). By comparison to literature and standards, they were identified as cannabidivarinic acid (hRF 55) and cannabidiolic acid (hRF 60-70).

J Chromatogr A, 1616, 461434 (2020). Samples were acetonic extracts of Malus domestica fruit peels (Rosaceae) and of Salvia officinalis, Thymus vulgaris and Origanum vulgare spice powders (Lamiaceae), as well as standards of maleic acid (dicarboxylic acid), carvacrol, thymol (phenolic monoterpenes), rosmanol (phenolic diterpene), betulinic acid, corosolic acid (CA), maslinic acid (MA), oleanolic acid (OA) and its isomer ursolic acid (UA) (triterpenes). HPTLC on silica gel, when intended for MS and NMR experiments, layers were prewashed twice with methanol – water 3:1, followed by 30 min drying at 120 °C. When intended for quantitative densitometry, start zones were submitted to prechromatographic derivatization with iodine solution (10 g/L in chloroform) allowed to migrate up to 12 mm, incubated 10 min at 27 °C and dried under cold air stream; this allowed separation of isomeric triterpenes. Separation with toluene – methanol – ethyl acetate 17:2:1 after 5 min chamber saturation at 50 % relative humidity. CA coeluted with MA, and OA with UA. Four hyphenations: A) Quantitative HPTLC densitometry for active analytes was performed by measuring absorption at 665 nm with a tungsten lamp after immersion of the chromatograms in anisaldehyde sulfuric acid reagent and heating 5 min at 110 °C. Linear range was obtained at 25 - 200 ng/band for OA and 100 - 400 ng/band for UA. B) Effect-directed analysis by immersing the chromatograms into Gram-positive Bacillus subtilis suspension for antibacterial activity and into acetyl-cholinesterase and tyrosinase solutions for enzymatic inhibition. C) Active bands were eluted with methanol through the oval elution head and in-line filter frit of a TLC-MS interface pump, into a quadrupole-Orbitrap mass spectrometer. Full scan mass spectra (m/z 100−1000) in the positive and negative ionization modes were recorded using heated electrospray ionization (HESI, spray voltage 3.5 kV, capillary temperature 270 °C, probe heater temperature 200 °C). D) With higher amounts applied, preparative HPTLC, by scraping the multipotent band corresponding to OA and UA, and dissolving these analytes in methanol, for NMR analyses (1H raw or deconvoluted, and 2D 1H–13C Heteronuclear Single Quantum Coherence). Both isomers were distinguished by their allylic H-18 protons and separately quantified by applying PULCON method (PUlse Length-based CONcentration). LOQ was 267 μM for OA and 173 μM for UA; optimal range was 300 – 4600 mM, corresponding to 126 - 2090 μg of triterpenes.

J Chromatogr A, 1616, 460774 (2020). Methanolic extracts of leaves of Musa acuminata, M. balbisiana and M. sapientum (Musaceae), either from fields or from in vitro cultures or from the plantlets derived from in vitro culture and acclimatized in isolated warm room, were separated on HPTLC silica gel layers with toluene – ethyl acetate – methanol 6:3:1 or ethyl acetate – toluene – formic acid – water 34:5:7:5. When intended for MS experiments, layers were previously washed twice with methanol – formic acid 10:1, once with acetonitrile – methanol 2:1 and air-dried. Evaluation under white light, UV 254 nm and 366 nm. Derivatization by immersion (2s, 2cm/s) into natural product reagent preceded by heating at 110 °C for 5 min, or into anisaldehyde sulfuric acid reagent, diphenylamine aniline reagent, ninhydrin reagent, followed by the same heating procedure. Besides, plates were neutralized by cold air stream followed with phosphate buffer (8 %, pH 7.5) piezoelectrically sprayed on the plates and automated plate drying. Thereafter, 9 effect-directed assays (EDA) were performed for free radical (DPPH•) scavengers, for enzymatic inhibitors (α-amylase, acetyl- and butyryl-cholinesterase, α- and β-glucosidase), for antimicrobial compounds (Gram-positive Bacillus subtilis assay, Gram-negative Aliivibrio fischeri bioluminescence assay), and for mutagenic compounds (SOS response – UMU-C test using Salmonella typhimurium suspension and 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide as positive control). The bands of 4 active compounds were eluted with methanol through a TLC-MS interface pump into a quadrupole-Orbitrap mass spectrometer. Full scan mass spectra (m/z 50−800) in the positive and negative ionization modes were recorded using electrospray ionization (ESI, spray voltage 3.3kV, capillary temperature 320°C, collision energy 35 eV). By comparison to a standard, one band present in all samples was identified as linolenic acid. For the other bands, only present in in vitro grown accessions, only raw molecular formulas and phytochemical classes were assigned (a pyrrolidine alkaloid, an amino-acid, a phenolic derivative).

J Chromatogr A, 1637, 461836 (2021). Successive ultrasonic macerates of Ficus religiosa leaves (Moraceae) were separated with toluene – ethyl acetate – methanol 6:3:1 on HPTLC silica gel or (for yeast and genotoxicity assays) on RP18W phase. For MS experiments, layers were previously washed twice with methanol – formic acid 10:1, once with acetonitrile – methanol 2:1 and air-dried. Chromatograms were documented under white light, UV 254 nm and 366 nm. Afterwards, 11 derivatization assays were performed with the following reagents, either without heating: Dragendorff’s reagent; Fast Blue B salt; ferric chloride; natural product reagent - PEG 400; primuline; or requiring heating for 5 min at 120 °C: anisaldehyde sulfuric acid; diphenylamine aniline phosphoric acid; 2-naphthol sulfuric acid; ninhydrin; Tillmans' reagent; vanillin sulfuric acid. Besides, 12 effect-directed assays (EDA) were performed for free radical (DPPH• and ABTS•) scavengers, for enzyme inhibitors (α-amylase, acetyl- and butyryl-cholinesterase, α- and β-glucosidase, tyrosinase), for antimicrobial compounds (Gram-positive Bacillus subtilis assay, Gram-negative Aliivibrio fischeri bioluminescence assay), for phytoestrogens (planar yeast estrogen assay) and genotoxicity (SOS response – UMU-C test by successive immersions into citric buffer, into Salmonella typhimurium suspension and into methylumbelliferyl-galactopyranoside solution, followed by FLD at 366nm of mutagenic compounds as blue fluorescent zones, using 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide as positive control). No activity was found for the last two assays. Ethyl acetate extracts of all samples were the most active. After EDA, most active bands were scanned for semi-quantitative equivalence densitometry at 546 nm using mercury lamp, compared to the following standards: acarbose, gallic acid, imidazole, kojic acid, physostigmine, tetracycline, depending on the assay. The bands of 3 multipotent compounds were eluted with methanol through the oval elution head and in-line filter frit of a TLC-MS interface pump, into a quadrupole-Orbitrap mass spectrometer. Full scan mass spectra (m/z 50−750) in the positive and negative ionization mode were recorded using heated electrospray ionization (HESI, spray voltage 3.5 kV, capillary temperature 270 °C, probe heater temperature 200 °C). MS-MS spectra were recorded in the negative mode using HCD-NCE (higher-energy collisional dissociation –normalized collision energy, with stepped negative collision energies from 10 to 40 eV). The three active zones were assigned to palmitic acid, to linolenic acid and to its di-oxygenated derivative.

CBS 127, 13-15 (2021). HPTLC of rutin and quercetin in Ginkgo biloba (1), rosmarinic acid in rosemary (2) and oleuropein in olive oil (3) on silica gel with ethyl acetate - formic acid - acetic acid - water 100:11:11:26. Detection by spraying with NP reagent (1 g 2-aminoethyl diphenylborinate in 100 mL methanol) for (1) and (2) or with anisaldehyde reagent (0.5 mL p-anisaldehyde in 85 mL methanol, 10 mL acetic acid and 5 mL sulfuric acid), followed by heating at 100 °C for 3 min. Absorbance measurement at 254 nm and 238 nm for oleuropein and in fluorescence mode at 366>/400 nm for rosmarinic acid. The method showed the application of Quantified Reference Extracts for the identification of plant materials and quantification of markers by HPTLC.

Pak. J. Biol. Sci. 23, 995-1003 (2020). HPTLC of six Euphorbia species on silica gel with toluene - acetone 4:1, toluene - chloroform - acetone 8:5:7 and n-butanol - glacial acetic acid - water 5:1:4. Qualitative identification under UV light at 254 and 366 nm. 

Food Chem. 334, 127496 (2021). TLC of 36 compounds of 11 classes of bioactives including polyphenols, flavonoids, phytosterols, saponin and saccharides on silica gel. The relationship between structure and color of the bioactives was studied using a broad-spectrum staining solution: p-anisaldehyde - acetic acid - 95 % ethanol - sulfuric acid 920:375:338:125, followed by heating at 250 °C for 10-20 s. Color formation was recorded by a mobile phone camera. Videos were disassembled into frames employing the functions of Matlab.