Characterization and isolation of quinones from Tectona grandis Linn. leaves using innovative hyphenation of TLC-MS interface with LC/MS/MS system

Tectona grandis Linn. (T. grandis Linn.) (Family - Verbenaceae) is commonly called as 'teak' and locally known as 'sagwan' and one of the most famous timber plants in the world. This plant is well known for its dimensional stability, extreme durability and hardness which also resist decay even when unprotected by paints and preservatives.
A variety of interesting but limited compounds have been isolated and identified from T. grandis Linn. still more study needs to be performed especially for its color components which mainly includes quinones.The botanical classification of T. grandis Linn. is given in Table 1. HPTLC technique is used for the separation of phytochemicals, followed by its identification using LC and LC/MS/MS system. Traditional introduction of sample from TLC plate to MS is cumbersome and time consuming.