2.4. Thin-layer chromatography
Thin-layer chromatography was performed on a silica gel plate
(5 · 20 cm, Kieselgel 60F, 0.25 mm, Merck). An aliquot of
each fraction was spotted on the silica gel plate with a solvent
system of chloroform/ethanol/acetic acid/water (98:10:2:2 v/v).
The spots were visualized by spraying the plates with 1%
solution of potassium ferricyanide in water and a 1% solution
of ferric chloride in water (Adegoke and Krishna, 1998). Blue
colored spots produced indicated that the fractions were phenolic
compounds.