Comprehensive Analysis of Phytopharmaceutical Formulations–An Emphasis on Two-Dimensional Liquid Chromatography

In spite of the efforts in increasing the analytical control on herbal medicines, difficulties in the standardization of their components and the absence of a thorough characterization of the chemical composition still persist and constitute obstacles to the safe therapeutic use of these substances. The public consider these products inoffensive and uses them intensively or extensively, including specific groups of population like children and elder people. Thus, it is important to know as much as possible the chemical composition of these phytopharmaceutical products and quantify their pharmacologically active components. The analysis of plant extracts is a difficult task, as they are usually very complex mixtures. The separation power of traditional one-dimensional methodologies is generally inadequate, so two-dimensional separation is required to provide enhanced separation, since it enables to achieve higher overall peak capacities. Furthermore, comprehensive 2D analysis can provide a fingerprinting analysis of samples, allowing the detection of differences in the presence and/or concentration of compounds in complex mixtures.