Botanical Identification of Chan-thet and Chan-hom Crude Drugs by Thin Layer Chromatography

"Chan-thet" and “chan-hom” are crude drugs whose identifications are confusing; so their botanical species should be investigated. Fifteen samples of crude drugs "chan-thet" and 11 samples of "chan-hom" were randomly purchased from traditional drugstores throughout Thailand. Their chemical fingerprints were investigated using the thin layer chromatography method. The results were compared with authentic samples, and a-santalol purified in our laboratory was used as the chemical marker. The results indicated that all samples of "chan-thet" and 9 samples of "chan-hom" possessed a-santalol as their chemical constituent. Among them, 11, 3 and 1 samples of "chan-thet" gave chemical fingerprints similar to Santalum spicatum, S. album and S. lanceolatum, respectively; whereas 8 and 1 samples of "chan-hom" were similar to those of S. spicatum and S. lanceolatum, respectively. Two other samples of "chan-hom" revealed chemical fingerprints similar to Mansonia gagei. Based on the results, it is concluded that "chan-thet" and "chan-hom" currently available in traditional drugstores originate from four different plant species, mostly from the wood of S. spicatum. And the results can be applied for the quality control of "chan-thet" and "chan-hom" crude drugs.