HPTLC Fingerprinting and Cytotoxicity of Secondary Metabolites of Equisetum Diffusum D. Don Extracts

The aerial parts of Equisetum diffusum D.Don
(Equisetaceae ED), a Vietnamese folk medicine used
for hypertensive, anti-inflammatory, diuretic and
hemostatic properties, were collected in Northern
Vietnam. The secondary metabolites of the sequential
n-hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol extracts were
profiled by HPTLC with chromatographic conditions
and derivatization reagents characteristic for
flavonoids, polyphenols and terpenoids/steroids.
All these metabolite classes were present in the
methanol extract whereas the ethyl acetate extract
comprised some polyphenols and flavonoids; no
characteristic compound class could be identified in
the n-hexane extract. HPLC allowed to determine the
concentration of isoquercitroside, the major flavonoid
of the methanol extract (1.60 ± 0.04 mg/g dry weight;
n=3).