Chemical Fingerprinting of Medicinal and Aromatic Plant Extracts: HPTLC Bioautographic Assays as Preliminary Research Tool to Match Chemical and Biological Properties

TLC bio-autographic approach, dated at 1946, represents a modern and rediscovered research tool which capacity to match chemical fingerprinting – even if with semi-quantitative indications and biological activities that however need to be analyzed by supplementary tests drives further in-depth studies towards more targeted results. High performance TLC plates and more specific elution methods allow separating in a more well-defined way the bands, evidencing consequently bioactivities through bioautography clearer. The fields of application of HP-TLC bio-autographic approach concerning medicinal and aromatic plants are many, from the identity and quality control of plant crude drugs and extracts, of crude drugs transformation processes and final products,to research for interesting biomolecules and their possible synergic interactions for new products, answering for new and modern needs of efficacy and safety.