High Performance Thin Layer Chromatographic Quantitative Analysis of Picrocrocin and Crocetin, Active Principles of Saffron (Crocus sativusL.-Iridaceae): A New Method

Abstract

A new high performance thin layer chromatographic method has been developed for the quantitative analysis of the active principles (picrocrocin and crocetin) of saffron (Crocus sativusL.). The method is easily applied, shows good reproducibility and is rapid and sensitive. The technique overcomes the problems usually found with other analytical approaches to saffron determination which generally are not repeatable and deal with identification of adulterations more than with the analysis of constituents.