TLC/HPTLC in biomedical applications

Abstract

The main objective of this chapter is to encapsulate the applications of thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) as used in the analysis of compounds of pharmaceutical importance. The chapter discusses the advantages of using TLC or HPTLC for biomedical applications and summarizes important information on stationary and mobile phases, adopted methodology, sample application, zone detection, and identification and quantification of amino acids and proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, bile acids, drugs, vitamins, and porphyrins in biological matrices such as blood, urine, feces, saliva, cerebrospinal fluid, body tissues, etc. Among the stationary phases, silica gel has been the most preferred layer material in combination of mixed aqueous-organic or multicomponent organic solvent systems as mobile phase. For quantitative determination of analyte in various matrices, densitometry has been more commonly used. According to the literature survey, the interest of chromatographers in using the TLC/HPTLC has been in the following order: drugs > amino acids and proteins > lipids > bile acids > carbohydrates/vitamins > porphyrins. © 2011 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.