HPTLC-densitometric and TLC-image analysis method for determination of alkaloids crebanine and dicentrine in Stephania venosa tuber and their commercial products

Abstract

This study was aimed to develop and validate HPTLC densitometric and image analysis method for the quantification of crebanine and dicentrine in S. venosa tuber and their commercial products in Thailand. HPTLC analysis was performed on an aluminum sheet of silica gel using dichloromethane:ethyl acetate:methanol (21:6:3, v/v/v) as a mobile phase. The densitometric scanning was performed at the wavelength 290 nm, while image analysis was visualized after post-derivatization with Dragendorff’s reagent and processed by the ImageJ processing software. The proposed methods showed acceptable validation parameters. The content of crebanine and dicentrine in S. venosa tuber and their commercial product was in the ranges of <0.31–1.64 ± 0.18 % and <0.25–1.31 ± 0.11 % w/w for HPTLC densitometric and <0.17–1.61 ± 0.07 % and <0.17–1.64 ± 0.03 % w/w for TLC image analysis method, respectively. The result suggested no significant differences (P > 0.05) between the mean contents analyzed by HPTLC densitometric and TLC image analysis method. HPTLC and image analysis method showed several advantages such as simple, fast data acquisition, and cost efficiency. Both methods are considered as alternative method for product quality assurance and can be used in the routine quality control analysis.