Abstract
Arishta have been used in Ayurveda medicine for over thousands of years in Sri Lanka to treat various diseases. Ashwagandharishta, Balarishta and Dashamoolarishta are usually prescribed to obtain an anabolic effect, and Ashwagandharishta and Dashamoolarishta for androgenic effect in males. Thus, these arishta have been shown to have similar effect as anabolic androgenic steroids and stimulants in Western medicine. Therefore, arishta could potentially be used by athletes to improve their performance in sports leading to unintentional doping. Additionally, ethanol develops in-source during arista fermentation, which can affect athletes health. The aim of this study is to investigate whether the anabolic androgenic steroids or stimulants banned by World Anti-Doping Agency are present in these arishta, and to determine their ethanol content. Methanol extractions of Ashwagandarishta, Balarishta, Dashamoolarishta from four different manufacturers were screened for 21 stimulant and 22 anabolic androgenic steroids banned by World Anti-Doping Agency, using Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometer. Ethanol content of the twelve Arishta samples were also measured. Anabolic androgenic steroids or stimulants were not present in the tested Arishta samples, and percentage volume / volume ethanol content of all Arishta was between (5.80-8.35) ±0.5. The tested brands of Ashwagandharishta, Balarishta and Dashamoolarishta did not contain stimulants or anabolic androgenic steroids banned by World Anti-Doping Agency.
Highlights
Athletes around the world use different techniques to win medals
Methanol extractions of Ashwagandarishta, Balarishta and Dashamoolarishta from four different manufacturers were screened for stimulants and anabolic androgenic steroids banned by World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), using Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometer (GC/MS)
The tested brands of Ashwagandharishta, Balarishta and Dashamoolarishta did not contain stimulants or anabolic androgenic steroids banned by WADA
Summary
Athletes around the world use different techniques to win medals. Among them, commercially available supplements, ayurvedic medications, traditional remedies, and designer drugs are very popular. WADA operates with the aim of bringing consistency to anti-doping policies and regulations within sport organizations and governments across the world [1] They publish annually a list of substances prohibited for use by athletes, considering that they may artificially increase an athlete’s performance [1]. In addition to that Dashamoolarishta is prescribed for improving sperm count in males [3], similar to the use of anabolic androgenic steroids in western medicinal practice [2]. These three arishta are available in ayurvedic drug stores as over-the-counter medications. Ashwagandharishta, Balarishta and Dashamoolarishta are usually prescribed to obtain an anabolic effect, and Ashwagandharishta and Dashamoolarishta for androgenic effect in males These arishta have shown similar effects as anabolic androgenic steroids and stimulants in western medicine. Ethanol develops insource during arista fermentation, which can affect athletes health
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