High-Performance Thin Layer Chromatography Method for Determination of Quercetin, Stigmasterol, Psoralen, and Niloticin in the Leaves of Wood Apple (Limonia acidissima L.)

This study presents the development and validation of a high-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) method for quantification of quercetin, stigmasterol, psoralen and niloticin in methanolic extract of leaf samples of Limonia acidissima . For achieving good separation, a mobile phase of Ethyl acetate: Toluene: Formic acid: Methanol in the ratio of 5.5:3:1:0.5 v / v / v / v was used for stigmasterol and quercetin, and 5:2:1:0.2 v / v / v / v for psoralen and niloticin. The scanning was performed at 386 and 299 nm. Linear regression analysis showed a good linear range of 100–500 ng per spot. The highest content of quercetin (0.02%) in Karnataka, and stigmasterol (0.081%), psoralen (0.035%), niloticin (0.033%) was found in sample of Uttar Pradesh. The proposed method is precise, reliable and reproducible. The method is selective and can be used for routine analysis of quercetin, stigmasterol, psoralen and niloticin in various crude drugs and extracts that contain these compounds as active ingredients.