and quantitative determination of gallic acid in Zhuqi Fugan granules) (Chinese). Chinese J. of Inform. on TCM 19 (4), 47-48 (2012). Zhuqi Fugan granules, a herbal TCM preparation, are effective for clearing heat and removing toxicity, nourishing the liver, and strengthening the body resistance and are clinically prescribed to cure viral hepatitis type B. For quality control, TLC of the extracts of the preparations on silica gel with cyclohexane – chloroform – ethyl acetate 4:1:1, detection by spraying with 10 % sulfuric acid in ethanol and heating at 105 ° until the zones are visible.

J. Liq. Chromatogr. Relat. Technol. 35, 1429-1443 (2012). Comprehensive HPTLC profiling of sugars, sugar alcohols, amino acids, flavonoids, and phenolic acids as well as further bioactive and antioxidative compounds in the Indian natural efficiency enhancer herbs Hippophae rhamnoides, Valeriana wallichii, Triticum aestivum, and fungus Cordyceps sinensis. HPTLC on silica gel with different mobile phases: for sugars, n-butanol–- isopropanol – acetic acid – boric acid solution 6:14:1:3, for amino acids, n-butanol – ammonia (25%) – pyridine – water 39:10:34:26, and for sugar alcohols, ethanol – ethyl acetate – water 7:2:1. Quantitative determination of sugars by absorbance measurement at 370 nm after derivatization with aniline diphenylamine o-phosphoric acid reagent (mixture of 70 mL aniline solution and 70 mL diphenylamine solution, 2 % in acetone each, and 10 mL o-phosphoric acid, 85%). Unknown marker compounds were characterized by HPTLC-attenuated total reflection fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (HPTLC-ATR FTIR) and HPTLC- electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HPTLC-ESI-MS).

J. Liq. Chromatogr. Relat. Technol. 35, 2396-2407 (2012). HPTLC of vanillin in the roots of Decalepis hamiltonii Wight and Arn on silica gel with toluene - ethyl acetate 9:1. Quantitative determination by absorbance measurement at 254 nm. The hRf value of vanillin was 42. Linearity was in the range of 2-12 µg/zone. Limits of detection and quantification were 1.3 and 3.9 µg/zone. The intermediate/inter-day/intra-day precision was 1.3 % (n=3), respectively. Recovery was between 99.4 and 100.3 %.

J. of World Trad. Chinese Med. 7 (1), 77-78 (2012). Yiqi Shenggu granule is a newly developed herbal TCM preparation for treating wounded catagma. TLC of the extracts of the preparation on silica gel 1) for Aucklandia root, with petroleum ether (60-90 ºC) – ethyl acetate 9:1, detection by spraying with 5 % vanillin in ethanol – sulfuric acid 200:1 and mild heating, viewing in daylight; 2) for Carthamus flower, twice with chloroform – toluene – methanol 15:5:1, detection by spraying with 10 % sulfuric acid in ethanol and viewing at UV 366 nm; 3) for red Peony root, with chloroform – ethyl acetate – methanol – formic acid 200:25:50:1, detection by spraying with 5 % vanillin in ethanol – sulfuric acid 200:1 and mild heating, viewing in daylight. Determination of astragaloside A in the extract of the medicine by TLC on silica gel with chloroform – methanol – water 13:7:2, detection by spraying with 10 % sulfuric acid in ethanol and viewing at UV 366 nm. Quantification by densitometry at 520 nm with a linearity range of the calibration curve of 1.13-6.75 µg/zone (r = 0.995, n = 6), a precision of %RSD = 2.0 (n = 6) within plate and plate-to-plate, and standard addition recovery of 99.4 % (%RSD = 2.3, n = 6).

J. Planar Chromatogr. 26, 172-179 (2013). OPLC with on-line detection and fractionation, in-situ sample clean-up in the planar layer adsorbent bed, direct bioautography (DB), OPLC–MS, solid phase microextraction (SPME)–GC–MS, and LC–MS/MS for the bioassay-guided isolation and characterization of bioactive compounds from chamomile flower extract. The bioassay-guided isolation of antibacterial chamomile components was based on OPLC separation with on-line detection and fractionation combined with previous sample clean-up in-situ in the adsorbent bed after sample application. First the adsorbent layer was partially pre-weted between the edge of the layer and the sample application zone with the goal to fill up the “dead” area behind the trough, which leads the components to leave the adsorbent layer during the clean-up step. With this process, the zone behind the trough can be protected from stucking of any components in it, otherwise the stucked compounds could be detected continuously during the separation/detection/fraction collection. During the in-situ sample clean-up the mobile phase flow was in the opposite direction, from outlet toward inlet of the chamber. In this step the load of the adsorbent can be decreased for the fractionation, which is done in the normal direction of the mobile phase.

Chinese J. of Northern Pharmacy 9 (4), 8-9 (2012). Shugan capsules are a herbal TCM herbal preparation for nourishing the liver and tonifying spleen, used for women’s climacteric symptoms. For quality control, TLC on silica gel 1) for Radix Paeoniae Alba, 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; 2) for Rhizoma Cyperi, with n-hexane - ethyl acetate 17:3, detection under UV 254 nm.

f.) Wall. ex Nees. (Chinese). Chinese J. of Lishizhen Trad. Med. & Pharm. 22 (6), 1411-1412 (2012). The extracts of Andrographis paniculata, a traditional Chinese medicinal herb, have been widely used as the core ingredient in a variety of traditional Chinese patent medicines, such as Chuanxinlian pills, Chuanxinlian capsules, Lianzhi pills, and some cosmetics and veterinary drugs. The quality of the extracts became significant for guaranteeing the validity, security, stability and homogeneity of the medicines. TLC of the herb extracts on silica gel with chloroform – ethyl acetate – methanol 20:15:2. Detection under UV 254 nm and by spraying with 2 % 3,5-dinitrobenzoic acid in ethanol – 2 mol/L KOH solution 1:1 followed by evaluation in daylight.

Modern J. of Integrated Trad. Chinese & Western Med. 21 (36), 4087-4088 (2012). Bushen Huayu granules are a herbal TCM for treating osteoporosis. For quality control, TLC on silica gel 1) for E. brevicornum Maxim and the standard icraiin, with ethyl acetate – acetone – methanol – water 20:2:3:2, detection by spraying with 1 % aluminium chloride in ethanol and viewing under UV 366 nm; 2) for Radix Rehmanniae and the standard 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, with petroleum ether (60-90 °C) – ethyl acetate 1:1, detection under UV 254 nm.