Determination of 1,3-benzodioxanes in Piper mullesua by high-performance thin-layer chromatography

A new, simple, precise, and rapid high-performance thin-layer chromatograph ic method was developed for the determination of 6 benzodioxanes in Piper m ullesua extract: 1',3'-benzodioxole-5'-(2,4,8-triene-isobutyl nonanoate), 1 ',3'-benzodioxole-5'-(2,4,12-triene-isobutyl tridecanoate), fargesin, sesam in, asarinin, 1',3'-benzodioxole-5'-(2,4,8-triene-methyl nonanoate). The in gredients were separated on a precoated Silica Gel 60 F-254 plate with a so lvent system of toluene-acetone (92 + 8), The 6 benzodioxanes were well sep arated and easily identified in this chromatographic system, The separated benzodioxanes were visualized by color development with a spray reagent con sisting of 1 g vanillin dissolved in 100 mL H2SO4-ethanol (5 + 95, v/v). Qu antitation was performed by scanning the spots and comparing the integrated areas of compounds in samples with those of standards, Recoveries from sam ples spiked with known amounts of the benzodioxanes were excellent. The res ults were comparable with those estimated by liquid chromatography.