Reynoutria multiflora (root)

Botanical Voucher Specimen

Source: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

High Performance Thin Layer Chromatographic Identification

Fleeceflower, he shou wu (root) HPTLC ID - UV 366 nm (image electronically enhanced) Fleeceflower, he shou wu (root) (Reynoutria multiflora) Lane Assignments Lanes, from left to right (Track, Volume, Sample): 5 µL Fleeceflower root #1 7 µL Fleeceflower root #1 5 µL Fleeceflower root #2 7 µL Fleeceflower root #2 2 µL Emodin 5 µL Rhaponticin 7 µL Rhaponticin 5 µL Fleeceflower root #3 7 µL Fleeceflower root #3 5 µL Fleeceflower root #4 7 µL Fleeceflower root #4 5 µL Fleeceflower root #5 7 µL Fleeceflower root #5 10 µL Fleeceflower root #5  Reference Sample(s) Reference: Dissolve 0.3 mg of emodin in 1 mL of methanol; Dissolve 1 mg of rhaponticin in 1 mL of methanol.  Stationary Phase Stationary phase, i.e. Silica gel 60, F254  Mobile Phase Toluene, ethanol, glacial acetic acid 8:2:0.5 (v/v/v)  Sample Preparation Method Sample: Mix 500 mg of powdered sample with 5 mL of methanol and sonicate for 10 minutes, then centrifuge or filter the solutions and use the supernatants / filtrates as test solutions.  Detection Method Saturated chamber; developing distance 70 mm from lower edge; relative humidity 33%  Other Notes Images presented in this entry are examples and are not intended to be used as basis for setting specifications for quality control purposes. System suitability test: Emodin: yellow fluorescent zone at Rf ~ 0.60 (additional zone at Rf ~ 0.80 due to impurity). Rhaponticin: blue fluorescent zone at Rf ~ 0.11 (additional zone at Rf ~ 0.20 due to impurity). Identification: Compare result with reference images. The fingerprint of the test solution is similar to that of the corresponding botanical reference sample. Additional weak zones may be present. The chromatogram of the test solution shows a yellow zone at Rf ~ 0.60 corresponding to reference emodin (red arrow) and a blue zone at Rf ~ 0.11 corresponding to reference rhaponticin (green arrow). Another yellow zone is seen at Rf ~ 0.80. Between emodin and rhaponticin there are two faint brown zones. Source: HPTLC Association