Development of HPTLC Method for Estimation of Gallic Acid and Bergenin in Actaea acuminata Roots

Introduction: The major drawback associated with herbal drugs is to get their reproducible therapeutic efficacy. Standardization of herbal drugs with marker compounds seems to be a viable solution to achieve their consistent therapeutic effects. Objectives: Standardization of roots of Actaea acuminata, a traditional medicinally promising plant, using selected marker compounds. Methods: A. acuminata was standardized by estimating the content of gallic acid and bergenin in its roots using HPTLC system. Soxhlet extraction process was used to prepare methanol extract of plant material. Results: Gallic acid and bergenin, in methanol extract, were well resolved on TLC plates using chloroform: methanol (7:3; scanned at 292 nm) and chloroform: methanol (17:3; scanned at 280 nm), respectively, as solvent systems. The content of marker compounds was quantitatively determined by TLC densitometric methods, which were validated based on the parameters described in ICH guidelines. Gallic acid and bergenin were estimated to be 0.1242% and 0.8010% w/w, respectively, in A. acuminata roots. Conclusion: Standardized A. acuminata roots can be utilized for the development of clinical medicine.