TLC of selected sesquiterpenoids of the Asteraceae family

Visual chromatography has been employed for a preliminary identification of natural compound of a group of sesquiterpene lactones – Centaurea bella Trautv., C. crocodylium L., C. lusitanica Boiss. et Reuter, Helenium hoopesii A. Gray = Dugaldia hoopesii (A. Gray) Rydb., Stizolophus balsamita (Lam.) Cass., Zoegea baldschuanica C. Winkl., germacranes – Santolina pinnata Viv. subsp. neapolitana (Jord. et Fourr.) Guinea = S. neapolitana Jord. et Fourr. A dependence of the colour of the spots, induced by anisaldehyde reagent, on the presence of several substituents in the germacranolide ring – derivatives of partnenolide and salonitenolide – has been identified. The structures of the skeleton in the ring of sesquiterpene lactones in Helenium hoopesii can also be established by thin layer chromatography (TLC). The analysis of the chromatograms of extracts from dry and fresh Centaurea crocodylium herb has shown significant differences as for the chemical composition. Two sorts of germacranes of Santolina pinnata subsp. neapolitana display a characteristic colour of the spots.