High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC) for the Investigation of Medicinal Plants

Background: Chromatographic techniques, such as TLC basically and HPLC, GC, HPTLC, equipped with various detectors are most frequently used for the qualitative and quantitative examination of herbals. Method: An overview of the recent literature concerning the usage of HPTLC for the analysis of medicinal plants has been carried out. Results: During the last decade/s, HPTLC, a modern, sophisticated, and automatized TLC technique with better and advanced separation efficiency, detection limit, data acquisition, and processing, has been used for the analysis of herbal materials and preparations since the rapid development of technology in chromatography world. HPTLC with various detectors is a powerful analytical tool, especially for the phytochemical applications, such as herbal drug quantification and fingerprint analysis. Conclusion: In this review, a latest perspective has been established and some of the previous studies were summarized for the usage of HPTLC in the analysis of herbal remedies, dietary supplements, and nutraceuticals.