Fenugreek galactomannan: High-Performance Thin-Layer Chromatography (HPTLC) method for identification and quantification of galactose and mannose

Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) is a leguminous, medicinal plant that finds applications in traditional medicine and as an agent in pharmaceutical and nutraceutical products. Its seeds contain various compounds to which numerous beneficial effects are attributed, such as soluble polysaccharides, in particular galactomannan. There are limited data reporting the determination of Bulgarian fenugreek galactomannan composition by HPTLC. The analysis was successful in separating galactose and mannose, each demonstrating different Rf values 0.36, 0.48, respectively. After developing the method with the appropriate conditions, it was validated for linearity, accuracy and precision, range, limits of detection (LD) and quantification (LQ), and robustness. The LD of galactose and mannose was found at 91.34 ng/band and 85.26 ng/band, respectively. The method confirmed the composition of hydrolyzed galactomannan from fenugreek, revealing a ratio of galactose to mannose closed to 1:1, and this capability can be of significant value in both the pharmaceutical and food industries.