Development and validation of HPTLC method for estimation of gymnemic acid in microencapsulated antidiabetic polyherbal formulations

Gymnemic acid (GA) is one of the phytoconstituents present in Gymnema sylvestre. Estimation of GA was carried out first time from microencapsulated polyherbal formulation. Microencapsulated polyherbal formulations (F1 and F2) contain various plant extracts; hence, proper resolution of GA peak in high-performance thin-layer liquid chromatography (HPTLC) analysis of F1 and F2 is the problem. Hence, HPTLC analysis method for F1 and F2 is developed and validated for quantitative determination of GA. HPTLC analysis of F1 and F2 was carried out using TLC aluminum plates precoated with silica gel 60F254 eluted with chloroform-methanol-water (6.5 mL + 4.5 mL + 1.0 mL), and densitometric analysis was carried out at 580 nm. Complete validation was performed using standard methods. This HPTLC method was found to be reproducible, accurate, and can detect GA at microgram level. The new optimized mobile phase gave good resolution of GA peak for its proper quantification in microencapsulated polyherbal formulation.