High Performance thin layer chromatographic quantification of key cholesterol reducing compound (−sitosterol) from leaf, bark, fruit and root of Terminalia arjuna, T. bellerica and T. chebula

The present study aims at comprehensive production and quantification of the steroid β-sitosterol: a cholesterol reducer, extracted from the leaf, bark, fruit and root of three species of Terminalia (namely, T. arjuna, T. bellerica and T. chebula) by means of high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC). The fingerprinting analysis operated on silica gel 60F₂₅₄ HPTLC aluminium sheets with CAMAG Linomat 5 sample applicator projected a pH range of 0.63 to 0.69 with a linearity regression equation Y = 3464.522+78570*X for β-sitosterol. The r-value appeared for this equation was 0.99495 with sdv of 4.37 screened at 540 nm. Moreover, the limit of detection and limit of quantification values of β-sitosterol were 200 ng/spot and 600 ng/spot, respectively; evincing the HPTLC technique to be a robust one. The quantified values of β-sitosterol was maximal (7.798 ng/ml) in fruits of T. arjuna, followed by 4.113 ng/ml in bark of T. bellerica. The bark of T. chebula also confirmed to possess 2.789 ng/ml of β-sitosterol. Except the fruits and roots, all other parts of T. chebula possessed relative quantity of β-sitosterol. Thus, the present quantification would be of much help in the production of β-sitosterol in Terminalia species.