Comparative pharmacognostical and pharmaceutical evaluation of Khadirashtaka kwatha and Khadirashtaka ghanavati - An ayurvedic formulation

Abstract

Khadirashtaka Kwatha is an ideal medicine for Twak vikaras mentioned in many books of Ayurveda. This formulation consists of eight herbal drugs. Methods: Both the finished products (Khadirashtaka Ghanavati and Khadirashtaka Kwatha) are subjected to pharmacognostical evaluation, physico- chemical analysis like hardness, weight variation, loss on drying, ash value, pH value, water soluble extract, alcohol soluble extract, High Performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) etc. Results: Pharmacognostical study showed the presence of certain identifying characters of all of the eight ingredients in the formulation like cork cells of Khadira, Crystal fibers of Nimba, scleroids of Haritaki, Bibhitaki and Amalaki, pitted vessels of Patola, starch cells of Guduchi, multicellular trichome of Vasa etc. Preliminary physicochemical analysis of Khadirashtaka Kwatha showed that ash value- 8.15%, loss on drying -9.35%, water soluble extract- 14.16%, methanol extract-10.72% and HPTLC showed 12 spots in 254nm and 6 spot in 366nm. Conclusion: Present work was carried out to compare the finished products like Khadirashtaka Ghanavati and Khadirashtaka Kwatha in terms of its identity, quality and purity so as to standardize the better form. Pharmacognostical and Physico-chemical observations revealed the specific characters of all active constituents in the preparations.