An AOAC peer verified method for the identification of
Echinacea species by HPTLC
Eike Reich1, Anne Blatter1, Ruth Jorns2, Matthias Kreuter2, Kathrin
Thiekötter3
1CAMAG Laboratory, Sonnenmattstrasse 11, CH-4132 Muttenz, Switzerland,
Emil
2Flachsmann AG, Butzenstrasse 60, CH-8038 Zürich, Switzerland, FAH,
3Kranzweiherweg 10, D-53489 Sinzig, Germany
Keywords
Echinacea, AOAC Peer Verification, validation, method development, fingerprint
analysis, identification, HPTLC
ABSTRACT
The botanical industry worldwide is in desperate need of methods for quality
control of herbal drugs (botanical raw materials). Identification of the material and
detection of possible adulterants are some of the principal analytical goals.
These tasks can usually be completed easily by planar chromatography. Great
advantages of HPTLC over HPLC methods are the short time for method
development and the flexibility of looking into several substance classes with
very little effort. The AOAC Peer Verification Program offers a rapid way of basic
validation for such methods based on the results of at least two independent
laboratories. We are presenting an HPTLC method for identification of Echinacea
species and their common adulterants, which has been developed and peer
verified according to the AOAC guidelines. Emphasis is placed on a fairly new
concept of validating a qualitative TLC method. Finally the experience with and
the results of each step of the process are discussed and evaluated.
Journal of Planar Chromatography – Modern TLC (15), 2002, 244-251