A preliminary development of an optimised method for analyzing Allanblackia parviflora kernel and seed oils using high-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC)

Abstract

High-Performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC) is a reliable and rapid method useful for the detection of product quality and composition. In recent times, HPTLC instrumentation allows to obtain fingerprints suitable to determine composition and identity of plant raw materials. This study aimed at exploring the results of High-Performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC) analysis as a useful means for the authentication of Allanblackia parviflora kernel and seed oils using the fingerprint approach. Sixteen bulked kernel and seed oil samples from 16 different communities were analyzed by HPTLC method and their fingerprints were compared. The optimum experimental conditions established were: sample mass of 20 mg, hexane as appropriate dissolving solvent, toluene-ethyl acetate (85:15, v/v) as mobile phase solvent and p-anisaldehyde sulphuric acid as derivatization reagent. Using HPTLC fingerprinting, it was observed that no differences existed in fingerprints for all kernel and seed oil samples under illumination mode at 366 nm after derivatization. However, the seed oils showed clear, sharp and more intense bands indicating the presence of more phytochemicals. This suggests that there are phytochemicals in the seed shells/husks soluble in the seed oil