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Thin-Layer Chromatography (TLC) in the Screening of Botanicals–Its Versatile Potential and Selected Applications

Summary

This review shows how thin-layer chromatography (TLC), a simple laboratory technique, is invaluable for analyzing plant materials. TLC helps scientists identify which plants are related to each other, find beneficial compounds in herbs, ensure herbal medicines are pure and safe, and track illegal psychoactive plants. Despite being less glamorous than modern equipment, TLC remains practical, affordable, and effective for everyday botanical analysis.

Background

Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and high-performance TLC (HPTLC) are versatile analytical techniques with widespread applications in botanical research. These techniques serve dual purposes in life sciences (botany, phytochemistry, medicine) and practical applications including quality control and forensic analysis of plant materials.

Objective

This paper presents a comprehensive blueprint highlighting the sovereign role of TLC in accomplishing four main analytical tasks: solving chemotaxonomy puzzles of plants, screening biological properties of botanicals, providing quality control of herbal medicines and food products, and tracing psychoactive plants under forensic surveillance.

Results

The paper presents selected practical examples demonstrating TLC applications in chemotaxonomy of plant genera (Maytenus, Cinnamomum, Litsea, Salvia, Thymus), screening for antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, and enzyme inhibition (cholinesterase, pancreatic lipase). TLC-based fingerprinting successfully differentiated between closely related plant species and identified bioactive fractions.

Conclusion

TLC remains a simple, reliable, cost-effective, and high-throughput technique essential for plant analysis. Its versatility in chemotaxonomy, biological activity screening, quality control, and forensic applications demonstrates continued relevance despite availability of more sophisticated instrumental methods. The technique deserves greater recognition as a leading analytical tool rather than auxiliary method.
  • Published in:Molecules,
  • Study Type:Review,
  • Source: PMID: 36235143
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