J. Planar Chromatogr. 24, 242-247 (2011). HPTLC of E-guggulsterone (EG), Z-guggulsterone (ZG), 11-keto-ß-boswellic acid (11-KBA), and 3-acetyl-11-keto-ß-boswellic acid (A-11-KBA) in pharmaceutical formulation on silica gel with n-hexane - chloroform - ethyl acetate - methanol 10:3:3:1 in a twin-trough chamber with saturation for 15 min at room temperature (25 +/- 2 °C) and relative humidity of 60 +/- 5 %. Quantitative determination by densitometry in absorbance mode at 254 nm. The hRf values were 28, 39, 61, 68 for 11-KBA, A-11-KBA, EG, and ZG, respectively. The linearity range was 10-90 ng/band for EG and ZG, and 50-450 ng/band for 11-KBA and A-11-KBA. The repeatability of measurement of peak area and of sample application (%RSD) were 1.1 and 1.3 % for EG, 1.4 and 1.5 % for ZG, 0.5 and 1.1 % for 11-KBA, and 1.1 and 1.1 % for A-11-KBA, respectively. The mean intra-day and inter-day precsions (%RSD) were 1.0 and 1.1 % for EG, 1.1 and 0.9 % for ZG, 0.7 and 0.8 % for 11-KBA, and 1.1 and 1.3 for A-11-KBA. The method precisions (%RSD) were 1.3, 1.3, 1.1, and 1.3 % and the recoveries (by standard addition) were 96.9, 97.4, 97.6 and 97.2 % for EG, ZG, 11-KBA and A-11-KBA, respectively.

Chinese J. of Guangdong Agr. Sci. (9), 103-105 (2012). Garlic (Allium sativum L.) contains high levels of carbohydrates (up to 75 %), the main of which are fructo oligosaccharides (FOS). FOS have antioxidative activity. The quality control of garlic has to monitor the content of FOS because it changes during its storage. TLC of the extracts of garlic on silica gel twice with n-butanol – isopropanol – water – acetic acid 7:5:4:2, detection by spraying with vanillin – sulfuric acid – ethanol – water 3:13:81:26 and heating at 100 °C for 5 min. Up to seven monosaccharides in garlic are well separated by using the procedure.

J. of Chinese Med. 27 (166), 343-344 (2012). Baizhuhugan compound oral liquid is effective for enriching the blood, tonifying spleen, soothing the liver, and is clinically prescribed to cure chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis. For quality control, identification of the three contained herbal drugs by TLC of the extracts of the preparation 1) for Chinese Angelica, on silica gel with n-hexane – ethyl acetate 9:1, detection at UV 366 nm; 2) for Bighead Atractylodes rhizome, on silica gel with cyclohexane – ethyl acetate 7:3, detection by spraying with 10 % sulfuric acid in ethanol and heating at 105 °C, viewing in daylight; 3) for Chinese herbaceous Peony, on silica gel with chloroform - ethyl acetate – methanol – ammonia 8:1:4:1, detection by spraying with 5 % vanillin in ethanol – sulfuric acid 4:1 and heating mildly, viewing in daylight.

J. Planar Chromatogr. 25, 301-305 (2012). HPTLC of kaempferol (1) and apigenin (2) in the whole-plant powder of Sida spinosa Linn. on silica gel with dichloromethane - methanol - formic acid 16:2:1. Quantitative determination by absorbance measurement at 340 nm. Linearity was in the range of 150-450 µg/mL for (1) and 50-150 µg/mL for (2). The intermediate/inter-day/intra-day precision was below 2 %. Recovery was 99.5 % for (1) and 99.3 % for (2).

Chinese J. of Guide for Trad. Chinese Med. & Pharm. 18 (5), 80-81 (2012). Weijianning capsules, a herbal TCM preparation for tonifying spleen and invigorating the stomach, is prescribed clinically to treat superficial, erosive and atrophic gastritis. Presentation of a TLC method for the quality control of the preparations optimized by investigating the sample extraction procedure and the mobile phases employed. TLC of the extracts on silica gel 1) for Radix Scrophulariae with ethyl acetate – ethanol – water 20:5:3, detection by spraying with a solution of 3 g vanillin – 100 mL ethanol – 0.5 mL sulfuric acid and heating at 105 °C until the zones were clearly visualized, evaluation in daylight; 2) for Fructus Amomi with n-hexane - ethyl acetate 3:1, detection by spraying with 10 % sulfuric acid in ethanol and heating at 105 °C until the zones were clearly visualized, evaluation in daylight. Identification by fingerprint comparison in parallel with the individual standard components.

Beijing J. of Trad. Chinese Med. 31 (7), 542-545 (2012). Ekou powder is a herbal TCM preparation for treating mycotic and follicular stomatitis and mouth erosion. For quality control TLC on silica gel 1) for Coptis chinensis, with cyclohexane – ethyl acetate – isopropanol – methanol – water – triethylamine 6:7:2:3:1:2, detection under UV 366 nm; 2) for borneol, with n-hexane – ethyl acetate 17:3, detection by spraying with 1 % vanillin in sulfuric acid – ethanol 1:200 and heating at 105 °C, viewing in daylight; 3) for Indigo naturalis, with toluene – chloroform – acetone 5:4:1, detection 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.

J. of Guangzhou Chem. Industry. 40 (24), 122-123 (2012). Cleavers (Galium aparine) is a herb used as a key component drug in various TCM formulations for the treatment of tumours, dysentery, mastitis, urinary tract infections, gallbladder diseases etc. For quality control and to guarantee the medication safety of relevant formulations, TLC of chlorogenic acid, the main active ingredient, on silica gel with ethyl acetate – formic acid – water 14:1:1, detection 1) by viewing under UV 366 nm; 2) by spraying with 2 % ferric chloride in ethanol and heating mildly then viewing in daylight; 3) by densitometry at 585 nm.