TLC Densitometry Method for Determination of Cinnamaldehyde in a Traditional Indian Formulation

A new, simple, sensitive, selective, precise and robust high-performance thin-layer chromatographic (HPTLC) method developed and validated for the determination of Cinnamaldehyde in Indian traditional formulation (sitopaladi churna) and crude drug extracts. Analysis was performed on TLC aluminium plates pre-coated with silica gel 60F-254 as the stationary phase. Linear ascending development was carried out in twin trough glass chamber saturated with mobile phase consisting of Toluene: Ethyl acetate: Methanol (8:1:1) at room temperature (25±2°C). Camag TLC scanner III was used for spectrdensitometric scanning and analysis in absorbance mode at 295 nm. The system was found to give compact spots for Cinnamaldehyde (Rf value of 0.55±0.02). The linear regression analysis data for the calibration plots showed good linear relationship (r² = 0.996±0.0003) in the concentration range 200-1200 ng spot−1 with respect to peak area. According to the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) guidelines, the method was validated for precision, recovery, robustness and ruggedness. The limits of detection and quantification were determined. The Cinnamaldehde content was quantified and estimated from the formulation and the cinnamomum zeylanicum plant part. Statistical analysis of the data showed that the method is reproducible and selective for the quantitatve determination of Cinnamaldehyde.