Abstract

Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) is a widely used method in the quality control of medicinal herbs, but teaching it in practice faces difficulties related to cost, chemical safety, time, and the limited opportunity for each student to perform the whole procedure. This study applies virtual reality (VR) technology to build a simulation of the TLC procedure for the qualitative identification of rutin in Sophora japonica buds according to the Vietnamese Pharmacopoeia V. Two versions were developed: a web-based version running on personal computers and an immersive version running on the Meta Quest 2 headset. The simulation was integrated into blended teaching for 43 pharmacy students and evaluated together with 10 lecturers using five-point Likert-scale questionnaires and open-ended questions. The results show that more than 80% of students rated the simulation as easy to use, helpful for understanding and remembering the procedure, useful for improving practical skills, and engaging; lecturers gave similarly positive assessments. Some technical limitations regarding image quality and the realism of manipulations remain. The study confirms that VR simulation is a useful, safe, cost-effective and scalable digital learning resource that can complement traditional laboratory practice in pharmacy education.

Keywords: Blended learning, medicinal herbs practice, pharmacy education, thin-layer chromatography, virtual reality.