APPLICATION OF HPTLC AND FTIR PROFILINGCOUPLED WITH CHEMOMETRICS FOR THE DIFFERENTIATION OF THE VARIETIES OFFICUS DELTOIDEAJACK

Objective: The aims of this study were to identify and evaluate the chemical markers of Ficus deltoidea Jack (FD)varieties namely var. deltoidea, var. trengganuensis, var. kunstleri, var. motleyana, var. intermedia, var. borneensis, var. bilobata and var. angustifolia by High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC) and to discriminate between the varieties based on Fourier Transform Infra Red (FTIR) data. Methods: Methanol extracts of eight varieties and water extracts of five varieties were subjected to HPTLC and FTIR fingerprinting analysis. Quantification of markers (vitexin and isovitexin) was performed by HPTLC. Cluster analysis of Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA) was employed to discriminate between the varieties based on their FTIR data. Results: Two markers, vitexin and isovitexin, were found in all of the varieties, but their contentswere varied in the different samples.Cluster analysis (PCA and HCA) was employedto discriminate between the varieties based on their FTIR data. Clear separation between the methanol extracts of the varieties was observed, whereas the discrimination of the water extracts of the varieties showed some disparities. Conclusion:The findings indicate that HPTLC combined with FTIR coupled with chemometricanalysis isa reliable analytical tool for the identificationand discrimination of Ficus deltoideavarieties. Keywords:Ficus deltoidea Jack, HPTLC, FTIR profiling, vitexin, isovitexi