Quantitive Evaluation of ß -Sitosterol with Hplc in Saw Palmetto Fruits and Seeds
Abstract
The technological advancements in the processes of isolation, purification and structural elucidation of natural compounds have made it probable to generate appropriate strategies for the analysis of quality and the standardization of plant based medicines. The current study was conducted to evaluate the biomarker ß-sitosterol in seeds and fruits of Saw palmetto by HPTLC. Quantitative analysis of ß-sitosterol was conducted; using silica gel 60 F254 coated plates as a stationary phase to augment the identification and determination of ß-sitosterol component by using petroleum ether and ethyl acetate 8:2 (v/v) as a solvent system. The Rf value (0.58) of ß-sitosterol in reference standard and both fruits and seeds was found comparable under UV light at 450 nm. An accurate, rapid and simple HPTLC method for quantitative estimation of biomarker ß-sitosterol in fruits and seeds of plant Saw palmetto has been developed. The present standardization provides a specific and rapid tool in the herbal research, permitting to set quality specifications for identity, transparency and reproducibility of biomarker ß-sitosterol.