Abstract:

Bhaskar lavan churna is a popular Ayurvedic formulation and prescribed by the physicians for digestive impairment, dyspepsia and constipation etc. Though the Ayurvedic powder formulation enjoys great reputation, its standardization and quality control parameters are not well defined.The efforts have been initiated to develop certain method and parameters for standardization and quality control. Three batches of Bhaskar lavan churna were prepared as per the Ayurvedic formulary of India. The evaluation of the powder was carried out as per the guide lines of ?World Health Organization? viz extractive value, ash value, phyto-constituents, micromeritic parameters and subjected for spectroscopic studies with references to spectrum, and overlain spectrum. The results were found in close proximity of three batches. This study on Bhaskar lavan churna was reproducible, precise and may be considered as a method for its quality control.

Introduction: -

The Bhaskar lavan churna polyherbomineral Ayurvedic formulation described in ?Sarangadharasamhita?, traditionally used for digestive impairment, rheumatism, dyspepsia, malabsorption syndrome, aging pectoris, pthosis, disease of skin, splenic disorder, oedema, asthma, constipation, and tumor due to vat dosha or kapha dosha .

Among all the Ayurvedic medicine for the Gastro intestinal disturbance Bhaskar lavan churna is the most celebrated one with less quality control methods for its evaluation. A quality Ayurvedic formulation must confirm test for Identity, Potency, Purity, Safety and efficacy. Majority of Ayurvedic formulations use whole plants either alone or in combinations. The Efficacy of the Ayurvedic formulation may vary with the use of the adulterants in the formulations. It is therefore important to establish characteristics of the raw material and finished Ayurvedic products with the help of Physical, Chemical and Instrumental methods. Now days because of complexity and associated side effects with the usage of allopathic medicines, the majority of the world population is turning toward the alternative system of the medicine. Also the world Health Organization (WHO) Assembly has emphasized the need to ensure the quality of the medicinal plants products by using modern controlled techniques and applying suitable standards.    According to Ayurvedic formulary Bhaskar lavan churna composed four inorganic salts and fourteen herbs, but there is not a single standard mentioned for ensuring for the Identity, Potency, Purity, Safety and efficacy of the Bhaskar lavan churna. This paper reports on the characteristics, phytochemical, physiochemical, micromeritic and instrumental methods for ensuring the Identity, Potency, Purity, Safety and efficacy of the Bhaskar lavan churna.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: -

 Different herb and mineral used in Bhaskar lavan churna were purchased from local market Raipur, identified on the basis microscopic and macroscopic characters and compared it with standard Pharmacopoeial monographs.

Three batches of Bhaskar Lavan Churna named BLC1, BLC2 and BLC3 prepared by grinding and mixing the different type of salts (Sea salt, black salt, Rock salt and Vida salt) as a major components, with fourteen herbs (Coriandrum sativum, Piper longum, Caram carvi, Cinnamomum tamala, Mesua ferra, Abies webbiana, Rheum emodi, Piper nigrum, Cuminum cyminum, Zingiber officinale Punica Granatum, Cinnamomum zeylanicum and Eletterra Cardmomum) in proportion accordance with Ayurvedic Formulary of India (1,2).

EXPERIMENTAL

Extractive values

Bhaskar lavan churna (3 gm) from each batch for individual extraction, was extracted in n-hexane, chloroform, solvent ether, methanol and distilled water separately by cold maceration method and their extractive values were determined as per the method given in Indian Pharmacopoeia and WHO publication. These are described below: -

Water-soluble Extractives: Bhaskar lavan churna was dispersed in 100 ml of water and allowed to stand for 24 hours with occasional shaking and filtered and water was evaporated. The above procedure was performed for each batch and the dried water extractive (Wext) of BLC1, BLC2 and BLC3 were weighted.

Methanol Soluble Extractives: Bhaskar lavan churna was dispersed in 100 ml of methanol and allowed to stand for 24 hours with occasional shaking and filtered and methanol was evaporated. The above procedure was performed for each batch and the dried water extractive (Wext) of BLC1, BLC2 and BLC3 were weighted.

N-Hexane, chloroform and solvent ether soluble extractives:

N-Hexane (Hext), chloroform (Cext) and solvent ether (Eext) soluble extractives were determined by same procedure described above and dried under reduced pressure.The extractive values of all the batches of Bhaskar lavan churna in above solvents are given in Table-I