HPTLC application for Passiflora incarnata

In previous articles HPTLC (High Performance Thin-Layer Chromatography) applications for a series of medicinal plants, such as Ginkgo, Hypericum or Ginseng, have been presented.

In this article, we continue this series with an application note for passion flower, to further demonstrate the effectiveness of HPTLC for fingerprints of botanicals. Our comprehensive offering of analytical reagents and standards includes all consumables (TLC/HPTLC plates, solvents, analytical standards and extract reference materials) used for this application.

Passiflora incarnata (passion flower) has been familiar to native Latin Americans for many centuries. The Spanish physician Monardes discovered it in 1569 in Peru. In Europe, passion flower was long used as an ornamental plant. In the second half of the last century, passion flower entered the field of homeopathy. In low potencies it is used as a sedative, and also has a cardiotonic and nerve calming effect. Passion flower is primarily found in the tropical rainforest, and for production of the herbal drug, it is mainly grown in India, US (Florida), Italy and Spain.

TLC fingerprint analysis is stipulated for identification of herbal drugs in most pharmacopoeias. In the passion flower herb, several glycosylated flavonoids are present. After derivatization with Natural Product reagent, they can sensitively be detected via the HPTLC fingerprint analysis.

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