Chinese J. of Med. Guide 8 (11), 134-135 (2012). Chuankezhi injection is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb preparation with Radix Morindae officinalis as the key active component. It is effective for tonifying kidney, relieving cough, regulation of immune function, and is prescribed clinically to cure asthma,and capillary bronchitis. Development of a method for the quality control of the preparation. TLC of the extracts of the preparations on silica gel with n-butanol – ethanol – water 5:4:1, detection by spraying with a solution of 1.5 g a-naphthol in ethanol – water – sulfuric acid 50:4:13 and heating at 105 °C.

Chinese J. of Med. Guide 9 (11), 136-137 (2012). Honeysuckle, as a traditional Chinese medicinal herbal crude drug, is the dried flower bud of Lonicera japonica Thunb. It is effective in clearing heat and removing toxicity. For quality control, a method for the identification of chlorogenic acid and luteoloside in honeysuckle has been developed and optimized. TLC of the extracts of the crude drug on silica gel with ethyl acetate – acetone – formic acid – water 35:15:5:6, detection by spraying with 5 % aluminium chloride in ethanol, followed by 1) evaluation under UV 366 nm for luteolosid; 2) by spraying again with the upper phase of 1 % ferric chloride – 1 % potassium ferricyanide 1:1 and viewing under daylight for chlorogenic acid.

J. of China Pharm. 22 (1), 20-22 (2014). Ganmaoting Peifang granule is a herbal TCM for the treatment of cold, influenza, cough, sore throat, etc. For quality control, TLC on silica gel 1) for Fructus Arctii, with chloroform – methanol – water 40:8:1, detection by spraying with 10 % sulfuric acid in ethanol and heating mildly, viewing in daylight; 2) for Radix Isatidis, with n-butanol – glacial acetic acid – water 19:5:5, detection by spraying with 0.1 % ninhydrin in propanone and heating at 105 °C, viewing in daylight. Quantification of arctiin by HPLC.

J. AOAC Int. 96, 1167-1174 (2013). The review reports various applications of bioautography tests for determination of wide spectrum of antimicrobials. Based on two direct tests using Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli, the review discusses different applications for the screening of analytes in various biological samples. For example, the antibacterial activity of essential oils in conifers is estimated on the basis of the measured area of inhibition zones.

Chinese J. of Med. Guide 18 (12), 82-84 (2012). Fufang Kuhuang Penwu spray is a herbal TCM preparation for treatment of eczema, skin itch and solar dermatitis. For quality control, TLC on silica gel 1) for borneol, with cyclohexane – ethyl acetate 33:7, detection by spraying with 1 % vanillin in sulfuric acid – ethanol 1:4, heating at 105 °C until the zones are visible in daylight; 2) for Cortex Phellodendri Chinensis and the standard berberine hydrochloride, with benzene – ethyl acetate – methanol – isopropanol – concentrated ammonia 12:6:3:3:1, detection under UV 366 nm; 3) for Rheum palmatum L., Reynoutria japonica Houtt, and the standard emodin, with petroleum ether (30-60 °C) – ethyl formate – formic acid 15:5:1, detection under UV 366 nm before and after exposure to ammonia vapors.

by thin-layer chromatography) (Chinese). J. of Hubei Univ. of Trad. Chinese Med. 15 (5), 38-40 (2013). Kadsura longipedunculata Finet et Gagnep. is the dried and ripe fruit of Schisandra sphenanthera Rehd. et Wils., a herbal TCM drug commonly used in TCM preparations for the treatment of cough, spermatorrhea, enuresis, diarrhea, night sweating, palpitation and insomnia. False and inferior species often appear on the market, e.g. inferior plant material was sold as high quality product after adding synthetic dyes which are harmful to human health. As this kind of adulteration is not easily identified by eye, a TLC method for rapid identification of three dyes was developed. TLC of the drug extracts and the standards carmine, erythrosine, and brilliant crocein, on silica gel with ethyl acetate – n-butanol – ethanol – ammonia – water 1:3:3:1:1, detection in daylight.

J. Planar Chromatogr. 27, 174-180 (2014). HPTLC of betulinic acid (1), 24beta-ethylcholesta-5,22E,25-triene-3beta-ol (2) and lupeol (3) in Clerodendrum phlomidis on silica gel with chloroform - methanol 49:1. Detection by dipping into vanillin - sulfuric acid reagent (vanillin - ethanol - sulfuric acid 1:95:5, w/V/V), followed by heating at 110 ºC for 3 min. Quantitative determination by absorbance measurement at 600 nm. The hRF values for (1) to (3) were 30, 52 and 70. Linearity was in the range of 300-1500 ng/mL. The intermediate/interday/intra-day precisions were below 2 % (n=5). The LOD and LOQ were 22 and 74 ng/zone for (1), 20 and 66 ng/zone for (2) and 30 and 100 ng/zone for (3), respectively. Average recovery was 99.0 % for (1), 98.5 % for (2) and 98.2 % for (3).

J. of Xinjiang Trad. Chinese Med. 31 (4), 77-79 (2013). Conger Pian tablet is a herbal TCM for treating sensorineural hearing loss. For quality control, TLC on silica gel 1) for Ligusticum chuanxiong and the standard ferulic acid, with n-hexane – ethyl acetate 9:1, detection under UV 366 nm; 2) for Cornus officinalis Sieb. et Zucc. and the standard ursolic acid, with cyclohexane – chloroform - ethyl acetate 20:5:8, detection by spraying with 10 % sulfuric acid in ethanol and heating at 105 ˚C until the zones are visible in daylight. Quantification of icariin by HPLC.