lecturer - Institute of Pharmacy
Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University Raipur (C.G.). 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
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
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
Extractive values of three batches of Bhaskar Lavan Churna
| S.No. | Extractives | Extractive Values* % W/W (Mean+SD) | ||
| BLC 1 | BLC 2 | BLC 3 | ||
| 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. | Water soluble Methanol soluble Chloroform soluble Ether soluble n-Hexane soluble | 52.2+0.507 36.8+1.510 18.4+1.051 8.59+0.502 3.67+0.704 | 49.74+0.425 34.5+0.526 15.97+0.174 7.71+0.450 3.35+0.439 | 49.5+1.149 32.9+0.128 15.98+0.877 7.56+0.441 3.42+0.240 |
*Average of Three determinations.
Ash Value: The ash values of the Bhaskar lavan churna in term of total ash, water soluble ash and acid insoluble ash were determined using standard procedure and mentioned in table II.
Table-II: Ash values of three batches of Bhaskar Lavan Churna
| S.No. | Ash Values | Ash values * % (Mean+SD) | ||
| BLC 1 | BLC 2 | BLC 3 | ||
| 1. 2. 3. | Total Water soluble Acid insoluble | 63.46+0.513 47.40+0.943 54.96+4.21 | 61.01+0.842 46.25+0.493 52.30+1.099 | 60.90+0.829 45.64+0.871 51.38+0.380 |
Micromeritic Parameters:
The physical characteristics of the formulation were determined for BLC1, BLC2, and BLC3 in terms of the true density, bulk density and angle of repose in accordance with method given in Pharmacopoeia of India and given in table III.
Table-III: Micromeretic Parameters of three batches of Bhaskar Lavan Churna
| S.No. | Parameters | (Mean+SD) | ||
| BLC 1 | BLC 2 | BLC 3 | ||
| 1. 2. 3. | Bulk Density True density Angle of Repose | 0.559+0.0338(gm/ml) 0.732+0.006(gm/ml) 29.10+0.4350 | 0.54+0.035(gm/ml) 0.700+0.016(gm/ml) 28.70+0.3710 | 0.532+0.024(gm/ml) 0.700+0.016(gm/ml) 28.38+0.3210 |
For the Phytochemical evaluation aqueous extract of Bhaskar lavan churna has been employed, screening process of each batch of Bhaskar lavan churna for phytoconstituents was done using specific test given in reference books and mentioned in table IV. (4,5).
Table-IV: Phyto-constituents present in three batches of Bhaskar Lavan Churna
| S.No. | Phyto-constituents | BLC 1 | BLC 2 | BLC 3 | |
| 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. | Alkaloids Glycosides Phytosyerols Essential oil Tannins Saponins Proteins | + + + + + + + | + + + + + + + | + + + + + + + |
|
Estimation of Essential oil: The plants constituents of the formulation containing the volatile oil as major constituents, so essential oil would be a parameter for finger printing the formulation. Essential oil of the formulation was estimated by standard procedure using Clevenger apparatus for all three batches of Bhaskar lavan churna. The essential oil was subjected for optical analysis and refractive index is given in the table V.
Table-V: Essential oil % and Refractive index three batches of Bhaskar Lavan Churna:
| BLC 1 | BLC 2 | BLC 3 | |||
| Essential oil % (Mean+SD) | Refractive index (Mean+SD) | Essential oil % (Mean+SD) | Refractive index (Mean+SD) | Essential oil % (Mean+SD) | Refractive index (Mean+SD) |
| 0.41+ 0.011 | 1.409+ 0.0011 | 0.39+ 0.023 | 1.411+ 0.001 | 0.4+ 0.052 | 1.420+ 0.005 |
Bhaskar lavan churna samples were prepared in laboratory according to Ayurvedic formulary. They were evaluated by comparative analysis for their extractive values (n-hexane, chloroform, solvent ether, methanol and distilled water), ash values (Total ash, water soluble ash and acid insoluble), Micromeretic parameters (bulk density, true density and angle of repose), Phytochemical evaluation, and Estimation of essential oil.
The extractive values of Bhaskar lavan churna (mean+ SD of BLC1, BLC2 and BLC3) in
n-hexane, chloroform and solvent ether are found to be (2.48+0.169%,16.78+1.40%, 7.96+0.566%) respectively and that in water and methanol is(50.48+1.49%, 34.73+1.69%)respectively, indicating the presence of almost polar and semi polar constituents in Bhaskar lavan churna.
The ash values for Bhaskar lavan churna (61.81+1.431, 52.88+1.895 and 46.43+0.897)
Respectively for the total, water soluble and acid insoluble ash that shows the presence of inorganic matters as major components.
These analytical findings and data analysis revels that parameters like Extractive values, Ash values, Presence of Phytoconstituents, micromeretic parameters, and Estimation of essential oil all remains in close proximity for each batch of the Bhaskar lavan churna. Hence these parameters and the developed methods for their determination considered as the tool for the quality control of Bhaskar lavan churna which will also assist the regulatory authorities, scientific organizations and manufacturer in developing standards.
References-
1. Ayurvedic formulary of India, Part-1,2st, edition,Goveanment of India, Ministry of Health and family Planning, Department of Indian System of Medicine and Homeopathy, Delhi.
2. ?Sarangadharasamhita?, Madhyamakhanda, Adhyaya 6; 138-141.
3. Sharma R.K. (Translator), Charak Samhita, Bhagwandas Chowkambha Sanskrit series Office, Varansi, 1988,chap,1:1 Para/verse no 51-56,34.
4. Brain, K. R. and Turner, T. D. ?The Practical evaluation of phyto-pharmaceutical? Wright-Scientechina,
5. W.H.O. Quality control methods for plant materials,
6. Martin, A. J., ?Physical Pharmacy?, B. I. Waverly Pvt. Ltd.
Authors: Karunakar Shukla, Swarnalata Saraf, S.Saraf