Hyphenated TLC as a Tool in the Effect-Directed Discovery of Bioactive Natural Products

Abstract

Complex samples such as botanical extracts contain hundreds of compounds. Since we can only identify compounds that are stable, extractable, separable and detectable from complex botanical extracts, minimal sample treatment and different detection methods are essential. A combination of high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) with non-targeted screening via bioassays (enzymes), microchemical and biological (microorganisms) detection allows for the fast and quantitative bioprofiling of complex samples. Further hyphenation of HPTLC with spectroscopic methods of identification enables targeted identification of bioactive natural products via Effect Directed Analysis (EDA).

Thin-Layer Chromatography (TLC) in Screening of Botanicals – its Versatile Potential and Selected Applications

“…Thin-layer chromatography hyphenated with a number of bioassays is an excellent strategy for rapid screening of various different botanicals (and in the first instance, medicinal plants and culinary herbs and spices), mainly for their free radical scavenging activity and antimicrobial and enzymes inhibiting properties [29][30][31]. This trend of coupling TLC with a variety of other analytical tools is effective and very promising for the future, hence it definitely is on a rising tide now and far from having said its last word yet.…”

“…Selection of topical reads Chemotaxonomy of plants [6]- [9], [19]- [28], [90]-[92] Screening of botanicals for free radical scavenging activity [10], [12], [14], [32]- [40] Screening of botanicals for antimicrobial properties [12], [14], [41]- [49] Screening of botanicals for enzyme inhibiting potential [12], [14], [50]- [60] Quality control of medicinal and culinary herbs [16], [61]- [66] Quality control of alimentary and cosmetic products of botanical origin [15], [17], [67]- [71] Screening of psychoactive plants [18], [72]-[89]…”

“…The TLCbased screening methods often target medicinal plants in the search for various different physiological properties of botanical material (e.g., the free radical scavenging, antimicrobial, and enzymes inhibiting activity [10][11][12]). Hyphenation of TLC with other analytical techniques which allow an in-situ (i.e., directly on the chromatographic plate surface) recognition of biological properties of an individual compound or compound fraction has evolved into the so-called TLC-EDA strategy (with EDA held for the effect-directed analysis) [13,14], which in particularly favourable cases might suggest novel structural motifs for synthetic medicines. Two more areas of application of the TLC-based screening approach are quality control of plant medicines, botanical alimentary and cosmetic products (e.g., [15][16][17]) and psychoactive ethnobotanicals, which in many cases are illicit and subject to criminal law.…”

Thin-Layer Chromatography (TLC) in the Screening of Botanicals–Its Versatile Potential and Selected Applications

“…The TLC-based screening methods often target medicinal plants in the search for various different physiological properties of botanical material (e.g., the free radical scavenging, antimicrobial, and enzyme-inhibiting activity [ 10 , 11 , 12 ]). Hyphenation of TLC with other analytical techniques which allow for an in situ (i.e., directly on the chromatographic plate surface) recognition of biological properties of an individual compound or compound fraction has evolved into the so-called TLC-EDA strategy (with EDA held for the effect-directed analysis) [ 13 , 14 ], which in particularly favourable cases, might suggest novel structural motifs for synthetic medicines. Two more areas of application of the TLC-based screening approach are quality control of plant medicines, botanical alimentary and cosmetic products (e.g., [ 15 , 16 , 17 ]) and psychoactive ethnobotanicals, which in many cases are illicit and subject to criminal law.…”

Xanthine Oxidase Inhibitors from Filipendula ulmaria (L.) Maxim. and Their Efficient Detections by HPTLC and HPLC Analyses

“…The compatibility of HPTLC with microbial and biochemical assays permits an evaluation directly on TLC plates of the antifungal and antibacterial activities of compounds present in complex mixtures. Recently, a particular effort has been made in order to determine the inhibitory activities on several enzymes, such as glucosidase, amylase, and tyrosinase [ 18 ].…”