High-performance thin-layer chromatographic analysis for the simultaneous quantification of lupeol and ursolic acid in the methanolic fraction of four different species of Bauhinia

A high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) method for the simultaneous quantitative determination of lupeol and ursolic acid in the methanolic fraction of four different species of Bauhinia leaves was developed for the first time. For achieving good separation, a mobile phase of toluene—ethyl acetate—formic acid (8:2:0.1, v/v) was used. The densitometric determination was carried out at 550 nm and 520 nm in reflection—absorption mode for lupeol and ursolic acid, respectively, which were linear in the range of 100–600 ng per band. During the analysis, lupeol (0.15%) and ursolic acid (0.11%) were found to be the highest in the leaves of B. acuminata. The proposed method is simple, precise, specific, and accurate. The statistical analysis of the obtained data proves that the method is reproducible and selective and can be used for the routine analysis of the reported terpenoids in crude drug and extracts. The simultaneous quantification of these compounds has not yet been reported in the leaves of the studied Bauhinia species which may be utilized for the proper standardization of these species.