Physicochemical study of the homoeopathic drug, Blatta orientalis

Abstract

Introduction: Blatta orientalis or oriental cockroach, also known as water bug or black beetle, belongs to class insecta and family Blattidae. In Homoeopathy, medicine prepared from it is used in a number of ailments, especially in the treatment of asthma. Materials and Methods: The physicochemical study includes evaluation of different parameters, namely foreign matter, moisture content, total ash, water-soluble and acid-insoluble ash values, water and ethanol extracts of the raw drug. Physicochemical studies, namely organoleptic specifications, sediment, specific gravity determination, total solids, pH measurement, thin-layer chromatography (TLC), ultraviolet-visible spectra and alcohol content have also standardised and presented for both in-house and commercial mother tinctures (finished products). Results: The study indicates that the values of the preliminary parameters of this drug are quite different from the ranges reported for plant drugs. TLC study confirms the complexity of the composition of the prepared drug. Conclusion: The physicochemical data of the drug, B. orientalis, may serve as pharmacopoeial standard for authentication, quality assurance and quality control process of the commercially available drug.