Development and Validation of HPTLC Method to Detect Curcumin and Gallic Acid in Polyherbal Microencapsulated Formulation

Abstract

Curcumin and gallic acid are one of the phytoconstituent present in Curcuma longa and Emblica officinalis, respectively. Both plants are used traditionally in the treatment of ulcerative colitis. In the present study an attempt has been made to develop a high-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) method for quantitative estimation of curcumin and gallic acid in antiulcer polyherbal microencapsulated formulation. The method employed thin layer chromatography aluminum plates precoated with silica gel 60 F₂₅₄ as the stationary phase. The solvent system consisted of chloroform:ethyl acetate:formic acid:methanol (7.5 mL + 6 mL + 0.5 mL + 0.5 mL). This system was found to give compact spots for curcumin (Rf value of 0.59 ± 0.02) and for gallic acid (Rf value of 0.25 ± 0.03). Densitometric analysis of curcumin and gallic acid was carried out at 322 nm. This HPTLC method was found to be reproducible, accurate, and can detect curcumin and gallic acid at nanogram level. The developed HPTLC method would be an important tool in the quality control method for polyherbal formulations.

Keywords:

• Curcuma longa
• curcumin
• Emblica officinalis
• gallic acid
• HPTLC
• polyherbal formulation