FLAVONOIDS OF GUIERA-SENEGALENSIS J. F GMEL. - THIN-LAYER CHROMATOGRAPHY AND NUMERICAL-METHODS

The efficiency of seven thin-layer chromatographic systems for separat ing nine flavonoids isolated from Guiera senegalensis J. F. GMEL. (Com bretaceae) was investigated. For this purpose, three mathematical tech niques were applied. The first technique was the calculation of the in formation content derived from Shannon's equation for each chromatogra phic system. In the second technique, the discriminating power of the systems was measured individually and in various combinations. The thi rd technique classifies chromatographic systems according to clusters. The classification was carried out by the numerical taxonomy methods. The most suitable chromatographic systems for the separation of the i nvestigated flavonoids are: ethyl acetate : ethylmethylketon : formic acid : water, 60:15:3:2, and ethyl acetate : formic acid : acetic acid : water, 100:11:11:27.