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Table 3 Available analytical standards and assay methods for selected medicinal plant compounds

From: Application of the herbal chemical marker ranking system (Herb MaRS) to the standardization of herbal raw materials: a case study

Plant material

Identified Analytical markers

Commercial sources

Smallest commercial unit available, purity and/cost (Euros-€)

Cost per mg/mL of marker (Euros-€))

Analytical methods for the plant material mentioned in local or WHO

Pharmacopoeia

Assay methods already developed for the compounds in same or other materials

Eucalyptus globulus oil

Aromadendrine (dihydrokaempferol)

Sigma‒Aldrich/Supelco

Analytical standard-530/5 mg

≥95%

HPLC grade-221/10 mg

≥ 95% LC/MS-ELSD-421/1 mg

106.0

22.1

421

WHO monographs &African pharmacopoeia-identification tests for 1,8-cineole in oil & leaf materials.

TLC fingerprint for leaf materials with 1,8-cineole as reference [10, 13].

Gas chromatography FID & MS method for quantification of oil components [25, 101]

α-terpineol

Sigma‒Aldrich/Supelco

Analytical standard (≥ 95%)-63.9/100 mg

0.6

globulol

Sigma‒Aldrich

≥ 98.5% (sum of enantiomers, GC)- 247/100 mg

2.5

1,8-cineol (eucalyptol)

Sigma‒Aldrich/Supelco

Analytical standard- 48.3/1 mL

48.3

Aloes -whole leaf products

Aloin A

Sigma‒Aldrich

Analytical standard- 440/10 mg

44.0

WHO monographs-Thin-layer chromatography, microchemical analyses to identify anthracenes,

Spectrophotometry-to determine total glycosides as aloin [10]

HPLC-DAD/MS quantification methods for anthracenes in aloe vera samples [102]

Aloin B

Sigma‒Aldrich

Phyproof® Reference Substance- 605/10 mg

60.5

Aloe emodin

Sigma‒Aldrich

Analytical standard

311/10 mg

31.1

Aloe vera gel

Acemannan

Toronto Research chemicals

Technical grade- 208.3/10 mg

20.8

Chemical test for carbohydrates; Polysaccharide composition

analysis by gas–liquid chromatography [10]

Molecular Exclusion Chromatography [103]

UV‒Vis Spectrophotometry [104]

D-Mannose 6 phosphate

Sigma‒Aldrich

≥ 98% (HPLC) (sodium salt)- 354.0/100 mg

3.5

None found

Albizia coriaria stem bark

Lupeol

Sigma‒Aldrich

Analytical standard-130/10 mg

13.0

No monographs for Albizia coriaria stem bark materials

HPLC-DAD quantification method for triterpenoids [105, 106]

lupenone

Toronto Research chemicals

Analytical standard-170/2.5 mg

68.0

HPLC-DAD quantification method for triterpenoids in Albizia inundata [107]

Betulinic acid

Sigma‒Aldrich/Supelco

Analytical standard 95.1/10 mg

≥ 98% (HPLC)- 70/5 mg

9.5

14.0

HPLC-DAD quantification method for betulinic acid in Albizia lebbeck [108]

Catechin

Sigma‒Aldrich/Supelco

Analytical standard − 307/10 mg

30.7

HPLC-DAD quantification method Albizia lebbeck [109],

Mangifera indica leaf or stem bark

Mangiferin

Sigma‒Aldrich/Supelco

Analytical standard-108/10 mg

10.8

No monographs for Mangifera indica leaf or stem bark materials

HPLC-UV quantification method for mangiferin [110]

Catechin

Sigma‒Aldrich/Supelco

Analytical standard − 307/10 mg

30.7

HPLC-UV quantification method for phenolic compounds [111]

HPLC methods for quantification of epicatechin [112, 113]

Epicatechin

Not found

N/A

 

Gallic acid

Sigma‒Aldrich

Phyproof® Reference Substance − 345/100 mg

34.5

Quercetin

Sigma‒Aldrich

United States Pharmacopeia (USP) Reference Standard- 357/200 mg

phyproof® Reference Substance- 253/20 mg

≥ 95% (HPLC)- 68.3/10 g

1.8

12.7

6.8

Azadirachta indica stem bark or leaf

Azadirachtin

Sigma‒Aldrich

Phyproof® Reference Substance- 403/5 mg

~ 95%-249/0.5 mg

80.6

498.0

WHO monographs-high-performance liquid chromatography

quantification of tetranortriterpenes in oil and leaf materials

[11]

HPLC-UV quantification method for Azadirachtins [114]

Nimbin

Toronto Research chemicals

Analytical standard-105/1 mg

105.0

HPLC-UV quantification method for nimbin [115]

Nimbidin

Not found

N/A

 

None found

Nimbolide

Sigma‒Aldrich

≥ 98%-624/5 mg

124.8

HPLC-UV quantification method for nimbolide [116]

Mahmoodin

Not found

N/A

 

None found

Zingiber officinalis rhizome

8-gingerol

Sigma‒Aldrich/Supelco

Analytical standard 489.0/10 mg

48.9

WHO monographs-Thin-layer chromatography fingerprinting to identify gingerols and shogaols; quantitative gas chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography analyses of ginger oils for gingerols,

Shogaols [10]

HPLC‒MS quantification methods for gingerols and related compounds [117]

[118, 119]

10-gingerol

Sigma‒Aldrich

Analytical standard-546/10 mg ≥ 98% (HPLC)-276/5 mg

phyproof® Reference Substance-472/10 mg

54.6

55.2

47.2

12-gingerol

Not found

N/A

 

6-gingerol

Sigma‒Aldrich

Analytical standard- 448/10 mg ≥ 98% (HPLC)- 358/5 mg

phyproof® Reference Substance- 472/10 mg

44.8

71.6

47.2

6-shogaol

Sigma‒Aldrich

Analytical standard-538/10 mg Phyproof® Reference Substance- 657/10 mg

53.8

65.7

Zingerone

Sigma‒Aldrich

Analytical standard- 84.50/50 mg

1.7

None found

Warburghia ugandensis stem bark

Polygodial

Sigma‒Aldrich

≥97% (HPLC)-216/10 mg

21.6

No monograph for Warburghia ugandensis stem bark

None found

Bemadienolide

Not available

N/A

 

None found

Muzigadial

Not available

N/A

 

None found

Warbuganal

Not available

N/A

 

None found

Warbugadione

Not available

N/A

 

None found

Warbugadial

Not available

N/A

 

None found

Warbugin

Not available

N/A

 

None found

Ugandensolide

Not available

N/A

 

None found

Ugandensidial

Not available

N/A

 

None found

  1. N/A Not applicable