Validation and Application of an HPTLC Method for the Determination of Parthenolide in Feverfew Herbal Products

A high-performance thin-layer chromatographic method for determination of parthenolide has been validated for recovery, accuracy, specificity, and precision and applied to four feverfew products. Chromatography was performed on silica gel plates with ethyl acetate-n-hexane, 3 + 2 (v/v) as mobile phase. Parthenolide was visualized by dipping plates into p-anisaldehyde reagent and heating at 105°C for 5 min. Densitometric quantification of analyte spots was achieved by scanning the plates at λ = 543 nm after derivatization. The method is precise with CV[%] < 5.00; calibration recovery = 101.12 ± 4.11% and overall accuracy = 101.14 ± 4.47%. The levels of parthenolide in the products analyzed ranged from 0.03 to 0.24%.