Chinese J. of Inform. on TCM 20 (3), 67-69 (2013). Zishen Jiaonang capsule is a herbal TCM effective in tonifying the liver and kidney, and is prescribed for premature ovarian failure, acute and chronic hepatitis, mastitis, sterility, etc. For quality control, HPTLC of the extracts of the preparation on silica gel 1) for Paeonia lactiflora Pall. and the standard paeoniflorin, with chloroform – methanol – water 14:6:1, detection by spraying with 5 % vanillin in sulfuric acid – ethanol 1:4 and heating at 105 °C until the zones are visible in daylight; 2) for Ziziphus jujuba Mill. Var. spinosa, with water-saturated n-butanol, detection under UV 366 nm; 3) for Lilium brownii var. viridulum with petroleum ether (60-90 °C) – ethyl acetate – formic acid 15:5:1, detection by spraying with 10 % phosphomolybdic acid hydrate in ethanol and heating mildly until the zones are visible in daylight; 4) for Caulis polygoni multiflori and the standard emodin, with n-hexane – ethyl acetate – formic acid 60:20:1, detection under UV 366 nm. Quantification of paeoniflorin by HPLC.

Chinese J. of Henan Agr. Sci. (1), 45-47 (2014). Baogan is a herbal TCM effective in improving liver function, regulating immune function and is prescribed for the treatment of liver stasis and spleen deficiency syndrome, primary carcinoma of liver, liver cirrhosis, liver ascites etc. For quality control, TLC of the sample extract and the standard chrysophanol on silica gel 1) for Rheum palmatum L., with petroleum ether (30-60 °C) – ethyl formate – formic acid 15:5:1, detection a) under UV 366 nm, b) in daylight after exposure to ammonia vapors; 2) for Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bunge and the standard astragaloside IV, with chloroform – methanol – water 13:7:2, detection by spraying with 10 % sulfuric acid in ethanol and heating at 105 °C until the zones are visible in daylight; 3) for Lignum sappan, with chloroform – acetone – formic acid 14:4:1, detection a) in daylight after letting the plates stand for 6 hours, b) under UV 366 nm; 4) for Radix bupleuri and the standard saikosaponin A, with ethyl acetate – ethanol – water 8:2:1, detection by spraying with 2 % p-diethylaminobenzaldehyde in 40 % sulfuric acid and heating at 60 °C until the zones are visible in daylight.

J. of China Pharm. 22 (17), 32-33 (2013). Guiqi Tongru Heji compound oral liquid is a herbal TCM preparation for the treatment of postpartum hypogalactia. For quality control, TLC on silica gel 1) for Vaccaria segetalis, with chloroform – methanol – water 15:7:2, detection by spraying with fresh solution of (bismuth subnitrate - glacial acetic acid – water 17:200:800) – 40 % potassium iodate – glacial acetic acid – water 1:1:4:15, evaluation in daylight; 2) for Scrophularia ningpoensis Hemsl., with ethyl acetate - methanol – formic acid – glacial acetic acid - water 30:1:2:2:4, detection by spraying with 1 % vanillin in sulfuric acid – ethanol 1:4 and heating at 105 °C until the zones were visible in daylight; 3) for Angelica sinensis, with n-hexane – ethyl acetate 4:1, detection under UV 366 nm.

J. Sep. Sci. 37, 2797-2804 (2014). HPTLC of six flavonoids ((1) rutin, (2) luteolin-7-o-glucoside, (3) chamaemeloside, (4) apigenin-7-o-glucoside, (5) luteolin, (6) apigenin) and one coumarin, (7) umbelliferone, from chamomile plant samples and dietary supplements on amino silica gel with dichloromethane - acetonitrile - ethylformate - glacial acetic acid formic acid 44:10:12:5:5. Detection by spraying with 1 % methanolic solution of diphenylboric acid-beta-ethylamino ester, followed by air drying at 50 °C for 5 min. Quantitation by absorbance measurement at 450 nm for (1), (2) and (5), 360 nm for (3), (4) and (6) and 320 nm for (7). The hRF values for (1) to (7) were 7, 22, 27, 33, 58, 69 and 77. Linearities were in the range of 30-240 ng/zone for (1), 40-160 ng/zone for (2), 55-220 ng/zone for (3), 50-200 ng/zone for (4), 16-65 ng/zone for (5), 30-120 ng/zone for (6) and 21-85 ng/zone for (7). The intermediate intra-day and inter-day precisions were below 5 %. The LOD and LOQ were 10 and 30 ng/zone for (1), 13 and 40 ng/zone for (2), 18 and 55 ng/zone for (3), 17 and 50 ng/zone for (4), 6 and 16 ng/zone for (5), 10 and 30 ng/zone for (6) and 7 and 21 ng/zone for (7), respectively. Recoveries for the compounds were >90 %.

J. Ethnopharmacol. 152, 292-301 (2014). HPTLC of extracts of Curcuma longa, Curcuma aromatica and Curcuma zanthorrhiza on silica gel with 1) toluene - acetic acid 4:1 (for curcuminoid determination), 2) acetonitrile - acetone - water 2:2:1 (sugars), and 3) dichloromethane (essential oils). Detection by dipping in anisaldehyde reagent (curcuminoid and essential oil systems) and aniline-diphenylamine-phosphoric acid (sugars) followed by heating at 100 °C, evaluation under white light and UV at 366 nm. Bis-demethoxycurcumin (hRF 18) was only present in Curcuma longa. The HPTLC results were compared with 1H-NMR spectroscopic analyses. The NMR analyses provided a sharper picture than HPTLC but only the combination of both methods enabled the authors of the study to understand both the general variability and the specific differences between the analyzed products.

salina, and NMR profiles of extracts of lichens collected from Brazil and Antarctica. Quim. Nova. 37, 1015-1021 (2014). TLC of (1) atranorin, (2) salazinic, (3) barbatic, (4) alpha-alectoronic, (5) alpha-collatolic, (6) cryptochlorophaeic, (7) caperatic, (8) lobaric and (9) protolichesterinic acids in six lichen species named Parmotrema cetratum (Ach.) Hale (I), Parmotrema wainioi (A. L.Smith) Hale (II), Canoparmelia cryptochlorophaea (Hale) (III), Parmotrema mesotropum (Müll. Arg.) Hale (IV), Cladia aggregata (Sw.) Nyl. (V) and Stereocaulon alpinum Laurer (VI), on silica gel with toluene - ethyl acetate - acetic acid 6:4:1 for (I, IV and V) and toluene - acetic acid 17:3 for (II, III and VI). Detection by spraying with p-anisaldehyde - sulfuric acid, followed by heating at 110 ºC. The hRF values of (1) and (2) in (I) were 73 and 33, respectively, whereas the value of (3) and (4) in (II) were 15 and 36; the value of (1) in (III) was 71. DPPH radical scavenging activity was also investigated.

Food Chem. 187, 460-468 (2015). HPTLC-direct bioautography of bioactive compounds in the extracts of cold-pressed hemp (1), flax (2) and canola (3) seed oil on silica gel with toluene - ethyl acetate - formic acid - water 15:30:5:3 for (2) and toluene - ethyl acetate - acetic acid 80:25:4 for (1) and (3). HPTLC-DPPH scavenging activity was determined by dipping into a methanolic DPPH solution, followed by drying for 90 s in the dark and heating at 60 °C for 30 s. The hRF values of dominant radical scavenging zones were in the range of 75-85 for (1), 70-90 for (2) and 64 and 95-100 or (3). HPTLC-antimicrobial Aliivibrio fischeri assay allowed the determination of major antimicrobial zones at hRF 40-49 and 55-66 or (1), 23, 45 and 60 for (3) and 95 for (2). Additional effect-directed analyses employing acetylcholinesterase (AChE) assay, planar yeast estrogen (pYES) bioassay and Bacillus subtilis bioassay as well as subsequent HPTLC-ESI-MS allowed targeted characterization of bioactive compounds.

Phytochem. Anal. 26, 97-104 (2015). HPTLC of gymnemagenin in the leaves of Gymnema sylvestre on silica gel with toluene - chloroform - methanol 5:8:3. Detection by spraying with vanillin-sulfuric acid reagent, followed by heating at 110 °C for 10 min. Quantitative determination by absorbance measurement at 610 nm. The hRF value of gymnemagenin was 46. Linearity was in the range of 400-3000 ng/zone. LOD and LOQ were 0.07 and 0.55 ng/zone, respectively. Intra-day and inter-day precisions were below 2 % (n=3). Average recovery was 93 %.