*3.4. Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC)*

Samples were dissolved in 90% or 50% aqueous MeOH and 10 μL were loaded onto silica gel 60 F254 aluminum sheets (Merck # 1.05554.0001, Darmstadt, Germany) and developed with the lower phase of CHCl3:MeOH:H2O (7:13:8) biphasic solvent system [3]. The profile of separated compounds on the TLC plate was visualized by UV light and by spraying with a 15% sulfuric acid in EtOH solution and heating for 15 min at 110 ◦C until maroon-dark purple spots developed.
