High performance thin layer chromatography of asiaticoside in Centella asiatica

Central Institute of Medicinal & Aromatic Plants, P.O. CIMAP, Lucknow-226 015, India

Manuscript received 4 December 1998, accepted 11 February 1999

A high performance thin layer chromatography method, suitable for mass screening of plant samples for the quantitation of active saponin, asiaticoside, from Centella asiatica has been developed. Quantitation was performed in absorption-reflection mode at 620 nm by scanning the HPTLC plate ⁶⁰F₂₅₄ (mobile phase ethyl acetate-methanol-water, 60 : 12 : 8) after a colour development by vanillin-H₂SO₄ reagent.