J. Planar Chromatogr. 25, 290-294 (2012). HPTLC of withaferine A (1), 1,2 deoxy-withastramonolide (2), withanolide A (3), and withanolide B (4) in Withania somnifera on silica gel with dichloromethane - toluene - methanol - acetone - diethyl ether 15:15:6:2:2. Quantitative determination by absorbance measurement at 235 nm. The hRf values of (1) to (4) were found to be 58, 61, 68 and 79, respectively. Linearity was in the range of 200-1200 ng/band. Average recoveries were 98, 99.5, 98 and 99 % for compounds (1) to (4), respectively.

J. Planar Chromatogr. 25, 433-438 (2012). HPTLC of quercetin (1) and kaempferol (2) in the leaves of Centella asiatica on silica gel with toluene - ethyl acetate - chloroform - formic acid 6:4:4:1. Quantitative determination by absorbance measurement at 240 nm. The hRf of compounds (1) and (2) were 35 and 48, respectively. Linearity was in the range of 100-1000 ng/band. Limits of detection and quantification were 54 and 165 ng/band for (1) and 68 and 207 ng/band for (2), respectively. Intra-day relative standard deviation of (1) was between 5.3 and 6.5 % and of (2) between 5.1 and 11.4 %. Inter-day relative standard deviation of (1) was 2.1-6.6 % and of (2) 2.6-5.8 % (n=6). Recovery was found to be 98.1 % for (1) and 90.1 % for (2).

J. of Shandong Inst. of Commerce & Vocational Technol. 12 (1), 93-94 (2012). Description of a procedure for determination of picroside-l in Picrorhiza scrophulariiflora Pennell by TLC of its root extracts on silica gel with chloroform – methanol – ethyl acetate 7:3:5. Detection at UV 254 nm. Quantification of picroside-l by densitometry in absorbance mode at 282 nm. Validation of the procedure by investigation of the linearity range (0.6-3.0 µg/zone, R = 0.999, n = 5); of the stability (%RSD = 1.5, n = 5 in 90 min); of the precision (%RSD = 0.6, n = 5 within plate); and of the standard addition recovery (98.4 %, %RSD = 1.9, n = 5).

J. Planar Chromatogr. 25, 409-414 (2012). HPTLC of two anthocyanins, cyanidin-3-O-rutinoside (1) and cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (2), in the berries of Euterpe oleracea Mart. on silica gel with ethyl acetate - formic acid - acetic acid - water 100:11:11:26. Quantification by absorbance measurement at 520 nm. The hRf of compounds (1) and (2) were 29 and 37, respectively. Linearity was in the range of 100-500 ng/zone. The limit of detection was 30 ng/zone for (1) and 40 ng/zone for (2) and the limit of quantification was 100 ng/zone for both (1) and (2). The intermediate/inter-day/intra-day precision was below 2.8 % (n=3). The average recovery was between 99.8-101.8 %.

by thin-layer chromatography) (Chinese). J. of Guizhou Normal Univ. (Natural Sci.) 30 (3), 7-8 (2012). Saxifraga stolonifera (L.) Meerb is a TCM herb for heat-clearing and detoxification and is often used as the key component in the preparations for curing otitis media, traumatic bleeding and hyperplasia of the prostate. TLC of the extracts of the whole medicinal herb and gallic acid as standard on polyamide phase with chloroform – methanol – formic acid 25:5:1, detection by spraying with a solution of ferric chloride – 2N hydrochloric acid – water 2:1:100 and heating until the zones are visible, viewing in daylight.

J. of China Pharm. 26 (2), 167-171 (2012). Niuhuangjingnao tablets are a herbal TCM effective specially in clearing heat, removing toxicity, relieving uneasiness of mind and body tranquilization, and are prescribed clinically to cure dizziness, swelling and pain in the throat. In order to perfect the procedure for the quality control of the medicine a method has been presented. TLC of the extracts of the medicine 1) for borneol, on silica gel with toluene – ethyl acetate 10:1, detection by spraying with 5 % vanillin in sulfuric acid – ethanol 1:4 and heating at 105 °C until the zones were visualized, viewing in daylight; 2) for Rheum officinale, on silica gel with the upper phase of petroleum ether (60-90 ºC ) - ethyl acetate – formic acid 15:5:1, detection by viewing at UV 366 nm, followed by exposure to ammonia vapors and viewing at UV 366 nm; 3) for the rhizome of Chinese Goldthread, on silica gel with toluene – isopropanol - ethyl acetate – methanol – water 20:5:10:5:1, detection by exposure to ammonia vapors and viewing at UV 366 nm; 4) for Fructus Forsythiae, on silica gel with chloroform – methanol – glacial acetic acid 70:10:1, detection by spraying with 10 % sulfuric acid in ethanol and heating at 105 °C until the zones were visualized, viewing in daylight; 5) for honeysuckle, on polyamide phase with ethyl acetate – methanol – formic acid 20:2:3, detection by viewing at UV 366 nm; 6) for the root of Kudzu vine and Cape jasmine, on silica gel with chloroform – methanol – water 28:10:1, detection by viewing at UV 366 nm, followed by spraying with 5 % vanillin in sulfuric acid – ethanol 1:4 and heating at 105 °C until the zones were visualized, viewing in daylight.

Yunan J. of Chinese Trad. Med. & Pharm. 34 (2), 44-46 (2013). As a herbal TCM preparation for treating sprain, contusion, blood stasis and innominate toxic swelling, Shangke Tiegao wound plaster is a new generation of trauma plaster preparations, based on the traditional trauma powder and a hot melt pressure sensitive adhesive which improves the release of the drug and reduces skin irritation. The new formulation not only retains the original dosage form and characteristics of the efficacy of transdermal drug delivery, but is also convenient to use. For quality control, TLC on silica gel 1) for Coptis chinensis Franch, with toluene – ethyl acetate – isopropanol – methanol – ammonia 12:6:3:3:1, detection under UV 366 nm; 2) for Radix et Rhizoma Rhei, with n-hexane – ethyl acetate – formic acid 60:20:1, detection at 254 nm; 3) for Fructus Gardeniae, 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, viewing in daylight; 4) for Radix Sanguisorbae, with toluene (saturated with water) - ethyl acetate – formic acid 6:3:1, detection by spraying with 1 % ferric chloride in ethanol and viewing in daylight.

Chinese J. of Med. Guide 2 (9), 109-110 (2012). Coptis chinensis is a herbal TCM drug for relieving internal heat or fever. High speed countercurrent chromatography (HSCCC) is frequently applied to analyse the alkaloids of Coptis chinensis. To optimize the solvent system of HSCCC the method for determination of the partition coefficient of Coptis chinensis alkaloids was done by TLC and fluorescence spectrophotometry. The major alkaloids are coptisine, berberine, palmatine and epiberberine. The crude drug was extracted with ethanol and contained 9.2 % coptisine, 18.5 % berberine, 4.0 % palmatine and 3.5 % epiberberine. TLC on silica gel with cyclohexane – ethyl acetate – isopropanol – methanol – water – triethylamine 6:7:2:3:1 with chamber saturation for 20 min with ammonia vapors, detection at UV 366 nm. The zones were quantitatively scraped off the layer and eluted with ethanol for fluorescence spectrophotometry at UV 366 nm. Quantification by external standard calibration over the linearity range of 0.5-2.5 g/L for coptisine, berberine and epiberberine with standard addition recovery of 98.3 % (%RSD = 1.9 %, n=6), 95.3 % (%RSD = 3.4 %, n=6), 103.9 % (%RSD = 2.6 %, n=6), respectively; and 1.0-3.0 g/L for palmatine with standard addition recovery of 97.6 % (%RSD = 3.7 %, n=6). Calculation of the partition coefficient, i.e. the ratio of observed values of the analytes from the two phases, respectively, with the results for coptisine 2.20, berberine 0.29, palmatine 0.21 and epiberberine 0.61.