Determination of 1,3-benzodioxanes in Piper mullesua by high-performance thin-layer chromatography

A new, simple, precise, and rapid high-performance thin-layer chromatographic method was developed for the determination of 6 benzodioxanes in Piper mullesua extract: 1',3'-benzodioxole-5'-(2,4,8-triene-isobutyl nonanoate), 1',3'-benzodioxole-5'-(2,4,12-triene-isobutyl tridecanoate), fargesin, sesamin, asarinin, 1',3'-benzodioxole-5'-(2,4,8-triene-methyl nonanoate). The ingredients were separated on a precoated Silica Gel 60 F254 plate with a solvent system of toluene-acetone (92 + 8). The 6 benzodioxanes were well separated and easily identified in this chromatographic system. The separated benzodioxanes were visualized by color development with a spray reagent consisting of 1 g vanillin dissolved in 100 mL H2SO4-ethanol (5 + 95, v/v). Quantitation was performed by scanning the spots and comparing the integrated areas of compounds in samples with those of standards. Recoveries from samples spiked with known amounts of the benzodioxanes were excellent. The results were comparable with those estimated by liquid chromatography.