Development of chemical profile of different plant parts from curcuma longa linn by thin layer chromatography

In Malaysia, Curcuma longa Linn or also known as turmeric or kunyit has been widely used in traditional medicine to treat biliary disorder, cough, diabetic wounds, hepatic disorder and also rheumatism. For past years, there have been available chemical profile of C. longa rhizomes by using thin layer chromatography (TLC) but so far there are no study of chemical profile of C. longa leaves using TLC. Purpose of this study is to determine the similarities between the TLC chemical profile of C. longa rhizomes and leaves, to find the most suitable mobile phase for chemical profiling of C. longa leaves that will give the best separation and to confirm the commercial product contained C. longa. The study is done by using TLC method in order to make comparison between TLC chemical profile of C. longa rhizomes and leaves developed from two extraction solvents which were ethanol and water. Later they were subjected to TLC profiling. The result showed that both have same curcuminoid compounds (curcumin, demethoxycurcumin, bisdemethoxycurcumin) in ethanol extract but some of them were absent in aqueous extract. From the TLC that had been developed, among all the tested mobile phases, dichloromethane: methanol with ratio 27: 1 (v/v) showed the best separation of the bands of C. longa leaves ethanol and aqueous extract. Authentication of commercial product was also been done by using TLC technique. The developed chemical profile showed that the many similarities that support the presence of C. longa in commercial product. Several distinctive bands formed indicated the presence of other extract that has been claimed by the product. Rf values for all of the developed bands were measured and recorded.