Quantification of valerenic acid in Valeriana jatamansi and Valeriana officinalis by HPTLC

A simple, rapid, cost-effective and accurate high performance thin layer chromatographic method has been developed for quantification of valerenic acid in Valeriana jatomansi and Valeriono officinalis which is one of the stable compounds of Valeriana officinalis and designated as a key marker compound. Valerenic acid makes substantial contribution to the sedative and spasmolytic activity of the essential oil and extract of Valeriana officinalis. Separation and quantification was achieved by HPTLC using ternary mobile phase of hexane: ethyl acetate: acetic acid (80:20:0.5 v/v) on precoated silica gel 60F(254) aluminium plates and densitometric determination was carried out after derivatization with anisaldehyde-sulphuric acid reagent at 700 nm, in absorption- reflectance mode. The calibration curves were linear in the range of (500 ng-2.5 mu g). This is the first HPTLC report for the identification and quantification of valerenic acid in Valeriana jatamonsi and Valeriana officinalis.