J. Liq. Chromatogr. Relat. Technol. 32, 2893-2905 (2009). HPTLC of albiflorin, paeoniflorin, (beta)-catechin, benzoyloxypaeoniflorin, benzoylpaeoniflorin, beta-sitosterol in the roots of Radix paeoniae Rubra (1) and Radix Paeoniae Alba (2) on silica gel with chloroform - ethyl acetate - methanol - formic acid 30:5:10:1 for high polarity components and toluene - ethyl acetate - methanol - formic acid 20:4:2:1 for lipophilic components. Detection by spraying with vanillin - sulphuric acid - ethanol 1:5:95, followed by heating at 105 ºC for 10 min. Qualitative determination by densitometry at 366 nm. The HPTLC fingerprints allowed differentiation between the roots of (1) and (2).

J. Planar Chromatogr. 23, 365-368 (2010). HPTLC of palmitoyl hexapeptide (an antiwrinkle peptide) on silica gel with toluene - ethanol 9:1 in a twin-trough chamber with saturation for 30 min at room temperature (25 +/- 2 °C). The hRf was 33. Quantitative determination by absorbance measurement at 211 nm. Linearity was between 10 and 30 ng/band. The LOD and LOQ was 3 and 9 ng/band, respectively. The intra-day precision (%RSD, n = 6) was 0.9-1.5 % and the inter-day precision 0.9-1.4 %. The small %RSD obtained after small changes of the method conditions indicate the method is robust. The recovery of the method was in the range of 98.9-101.3 %.

f. ) Etting, (Loranthaceae), growing on different substrates. J. Planar Chromatogr. 24, 60-65 (2011). HPTLC of phenolic compounds with caffeic acid, (+)-epicatechin, ellagic acid, gallic acid, and kaempferol as markers on silica gel with toluene - ethyl acetate - methanol - formic acid 14:6:1:1 in a twin-trough chamber with saturation for 30 min at 24 °C. Quantitative determination by absorbance measurement at 300 nm. Detection by dipping in anisaldehyde-sulfuric acid reagent followed by heating at 110 °C for 5 min. Evaluation under UV 254 nm and visible light after derivatization. Repeatability (n = 7) was between 0.5-2.4 %; intermediate precision was between 1.5-4.4 %. For (+)-epicatechin, ellagic acid, gallic acid, caffeic acid, and kaempferol, LOD was 332, 225, 21, 64, and 35 ng/zone, LOQ was 1157, 740, 67, 242, and 115 ng/zone, and precision (%RSD) was 3.8, 4.9, 4.7, 5.4, 1.7 %, respectively. The hRf value was 39 for (+)-epicatechin, 43 for ellagic acid, 55 for gallic acid, 65 for caffeic acid, and 72 for kaempferol.

J. of China Three Gorges Univ. Natural Sciences 33 (4), 92-95 (2011). TLC of extracts of Biyuan Pills on silica gel 1) for Magnolia liliiflora Desr. with dichloromethane - ethyl acetate 9:1, detection by spraying with 10 % sulfuric acid in ethanol and heating at 90 °C until the zones were detected; 2) for Xanthium sibiricum Patr., with chloroform - ethyl acetate - methanol - water - formic acid 3:10:2:2:2, detection by exposure to iodine vapor until the zones were detected; 3) for Lonicera japonica and Chrysanthemum indici flos, with toluene - ethyl acetate - formic acid - glacial acetic acid - water 1:15:1:1:2, detection under UV 365 nm.

J. of China Pharm. 20 (9), 19-20 (2011). Shujian capsules are a herbal TCM preparation prescribed clinically to treat shoulder arthritis. For quality control, TLC on silical gel for 1) for Cassia twig, with petroleum ether (60-90 ºC) – ethyl acetate 17:3, detection by spraying with 2 % 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine in ethanol and viewing in daylight; 2) for Radix sileris, with chloroform – methanol 4:1, detection at UV 254 nm; 3) for Angelica sinensis and Ligusticum wallichii, with toluene - ethyl acetate – formic acid 40:10:1, detection by spraying with 1 % ferric chloride – 1 % potassium ferricyanide 1:1 and viewing in daylight; 4) for the root of Kudzu vine, with chloroform – methanol – water 28:10:1, detection under UV 366 nm.

Chinese J. Ethnomed. Ethnopharm. (2), 43-44 (2012). Cissus pteroclada Hayata is a TCM herb. Its crude drug dried rattan is effective in relieving rheumatic pains, invigorating the circulation of blood and vein relaxing, and is the main component of the compound preparations for curing rheumatism, lumbar muscle degeneration, limb paralysis, and traumatic injury. TLC of the extracts of the crude drug and its main active component bergeninum on silica gel with chloroform – ethyl acetate – methanol 5:4:2, detection by spraying with 2 % aqueous ferric chloride – 2 % aqueous potassium ferricyanide 1:1, followed by mild heating.

J. of Modern Trad. Chinese Med. 14 (7), 11-13 (2012). Olibanum is the resin from the bark of Boswellia carterii Birdw. and Boswellia bhaw. dajiana Birdw. It containis triperpenoids such as 11-keto-beta-boswellic acid (KBA), and acetyl-11-keto-beta-boswellic acid (AKBA) which show antiinflammatory and antibiotic activity. In order to discern the false from the genuine drug in market, a method for the quality control of Olibanum produced in Indonesia, Ethiopia, Somalia and India has been presented. TLC on silica gel with cyclohexane – ethyl acetate – glacial acetic acid 50:10:1, detection at UV 254 nm.

Chinese J. of Health Industry (4), 99-101 (2012). Guangdong Achyranthes aspera, a herbal TCM drug, is the dried root of Eupatorium chinense L. which is used for the treatment of laryngeal diseases. Achyranthes aspera, another traditional Chinese herbal crude drug, is the dried root of Achyranthes aspera L. It has a similar shape and properties as Guangdong Achyranthes aspera, but contains different active constituents and is used for the treatment of colds and fever. The drugs should not be confounded. Development of a method for the differentiation of both drugs. TLC of the extracts of the crude drugs on silica gel with diethyl ether – n-hexane 2:1, detection by spraying with 5 % phosphomolybdic acid in ethanol and heating at 105 °C until the zones are visible, evaluation at UV 366 nm. In addition to TLC the drugs are differentiated by microscopy of the dried drug powders and the cross sections of the fresh samples.