HPTLC determination of swertiamarin and amarogentin in Swertia species from the western Himalayas

A high-performance thin-layer chromatographic (HPTLC) method has been established for simple and rapid quantification of two secoiridoids, swertiamarin and amarogentin, in two Swertia species. HPTLC of secoiridoids was performed on precoated silica 60 F-254 plates with EtOAc-MeOH-H2O, 77 + 8 + 8 (v/v), as mobile phase. Densitometric determination of.he secoiridoids was performed at lambda = 235 nin in reflectance/absorl lance mode. The method was validated for precision, repeatability, and accuracy. Average recovery of amarogentin and swertiamarin was 94.5 and 96.5%, respectively, showing that the reproducibility of the method was excellent. The method is simple, precise, specific, sensitive, and accurate and can be used for routine quality control of raw materials and herbal formulations.