Development of phytochemical fingerprint of an Indian medicinal plant Chitrak (Plumbago zeylanica L) using high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC)

Fresh, shade-dried and powdered samples of leaf, stem and root of Chitrak (Plumbago zeylanica L) were subjected to fractional distillation in a Soxhlet apparatus using four organic solvents. Chloroform, acetone and ethanol extracts from root of Plumbago showed higher zone of inhibition of 22.66±1.52, 21.5±1.29 and 16.5±1.29 mm and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 1.0, 10.0 and 10.0 μg/ml, respectively against Escherichia coli. Root and leaf extracts by ethanol, chloroform and acetone showed higher antibacterial activity against E. coli as compared to standard Kanamycin (MIC-100 μg/ml). The high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) fingerprints were used for the quantitation of two bioactive markers: gibberellic acid and quinol R in the plant powder of different organs. Maximum content of gibberellic acid was found in acetone extract of the root (59.74%, Rf 0.79) followed by methanol root extract (53.01%). HPTLC provides a chromatographic fingerprint of phytochemicals and is suitable for confirming the identity and purity of medicinal plant raw materials. Key words: Plumbago zeylanica, antimicrobial property, bioactive compound, kanamycin, Escherichia coli, high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC), phytochemical fingerprint.