Under the patronage of the Dean of the College of Pharmacy, Professor Dr. Sarmed H. Kathem Alkhateeb, a faculty member at the College of Pharmacy/University of Baghdad/Department of Pharmacognosy and Medicinal Plants, conducted a field visit to the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research/Scientific Research Commission/Research and Technology Center of Environment, Water and Renewable Energy. The visit aimed to enhance the practical knowledge of fifth-year students supporting their graduation projects by providing insight into the operational principles of High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and its application in the identification of active compounds in medicinal plants. The visit included several educational topics designed to equip students with a comprehensive understanding of the device. This included familiarizing them with the various terminologies associated with the device, such as high-performance liquid chromatography, high-efficiency liquid chromatography, or reversed-phase technology. Additionally, the visit included identifying the essential parts of the device and their respective functions. This began with the mobile phase, consisting of polar solvents such as ethanol, methanol, and other appropriate solvents, which facilitate the transport of the active substance through the system using a high-pressure pump. The sample then enters the separation column, which contains a non-polar stationary phase, enabling the effective separation of active substances. Then, through the detector, which identifies the active compounds by comparing their retention times to those of known standards. Moreover, the device contains a collecting part for the active substance, allowing for the collection of purified active substance, which can be further utilized for analytical and pharmaceutical research.
