Capsaicinoid Quantitation by In Situ Densitometry of Thin Layer Chromatography Plates

Abstract

A method for measuring the content of total capsaicinoids by in situ densitometry on thin layer chromatography (TLC) plates is described. This method is easy to perform, reproducible, and can detect up to 0.5 µg of capsaicinoids in unpurified organic extracts. Identity of the compounds was assigned by comparing the chromatographic behavior of the putative capsaicinoids with that of standards. Under the assayed conditions, capsaicin could not be separated from dihydrocapsaicin by TLC; however, the amounts detected in different tissues was always equal to the sum of the individual compounds, as quantified by gas chromatography, suggesting that the method is reliable.

Keywords:

• Amides
• Capsaicinoids
• Chili peppers
• In situ TLC densitometry

Acknowledgments

This work has been supported by the Fundación Produce Yucatan. The authors wish to thank Dr. M.L. Miranda‐Ham, for the critical review and L. Torres-Tapia for Technical assistance.