Betulae cortex, Betula pendula Roth., Betulaceae, comprise triterpene substances which are confirmed to posses very important pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory, anticancer and antiviral. In this study, extraction of triterpene substances from both, inner and external birch bark was carried out and after that qualitative analysis on betulin, betulinic acid, oleanolic acid and lupeol was performed by method of thin layer chromatography. By this separation method, applying system for development benzene-ethyl acetate-formic acid (36:12:5), is gained a good separation of examined triterpene substances from methanol extracts of inner and external birch bark as well as used standards. From obtained row triterpene mixtures, certain triterpene substances are isolated using method of dry column chromatography. To those substances infrared (IR) spectra were recorded and compared with IR spectra of adequate standards. The study encloses all obtained IR spectra and interpretations on the basis of which can be concluded that triterpene substances, betulin, betulin acid and lupeol isolated from external birch bark give identical characteristic signals and absorbance as referent standards. Method of dry column chromatography has resulted as simple, efficient, repeatable and economical for laboratory conditions. Beside this, a sufficient quantity of examined triterpene substances is also obtained for continuation of their further analytical analysis.

Drugs, natural medicinal plant, animals and mineral materials, have a large and various application in official pharmacy and medicine. Carriers of multilateral pharmacological effects that those drugs shown, are chemically define as active components that are present in them. Methods of qualitative and quantitative analysis are used for the chemical investigation of components that drugs contain. Method of thin layer chromatography has been shown as very reliable. According to the chemical investigation of single drugs, it is possible to define a group of compound or single compound comparing them with standards. Relating to the usage of method of thin layer chromatography, it has been carried out investigation on presence of coumarins and flavonoids in domestic plant material that have wide everyday usage. Coumarins and flavonoids from the point of view of chemical belonging are phenol derivatives with important pharmacological effects. Applying method of thin layer chromatography, it is detected presence of coumarins and flavonoids substances in plant material that has been tested. Anethi graveolens fructus et folium (fruit and leaf of dill), Anethum graveolens L., Apiaceae, Avenae sativae fructus (fruit of oats), Avena sativa L., Poaceae and Asperulae odoratae herba (sweet woodruff), Asperula odorata L., Rubiaceae. Chromatograms are developed in systems cyclohexane-ethylacetat (13:7) and toluene-ether (1:1) saturated with 10% acetic acid, and visualisation by observing on UV lamp (254 and 366 nm), spraying with reagents KOH (10% ethanol solution) and diphenylboryloxyethylamine (1% methanol solution).