A high performance thin layer chromatography method, suitable for mass scre
ening of plant samples for the quantitation of active saponin, asiaticoside
, from Centella asiatica has been developed. Quantitation was performed in
absorption-reflection mode at 620 nm by scanning the HPTLC plate F-60(254)
(mobile phase ethyl acetate methanol;water, 60 : 12 : 8) after a colour dev
elopment by vanillin-H2SO4 reagent.