Sindhu A

Plant derived medicines are popularly used nowadays considering their natural origin and low side effects. Phytochemical compounds are responsible for their various biological activities. Qualitative evaluation of such formulations is a challenging task due to high variability of their chemical components. This work aimed at preparing and evaluating a polyherbal anti-stress medicine, formulated using four potent Ayurvedic drugs namely Withania somnifera, Valeriana wallichii, Bacopa monnieri and Piper longum and also isolating a bioactive marker compound from the same.The formulation was prepared as per classical methods of Ayurveda and analysed for physicochemical characters like loss on drying, total ash content, acid insoluble ash, water soluble extractive value and alcohol soluble extractive value by standard methods. Phytochemical analysis was performed for detecting presence of carbohydrates, phenols, flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, steroids, Terpenoids, glycosides and saponins and for estimating active groups like total phenolic content, flavonoids, tannins and saponins. High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography fingerprint profiling was performed to confirm the presence of various phytocompounds. The biomarker compound was isolated by column chromatography method and characterized by UV-Visible, H1-NMR, C13-NMR and Mass spectroscopy methods. Physicochemical analysis showed presence of about 18% water soluble components and about 14% alcohol soluble components. Preliminary phytochemical analysis confirmed presence of carbohydrate, phenols, flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, steroids, glycosides, phytosterols and saponins. Quantitative analysis showed presence of about 7.6% phenols, 1.3% flavonoids, 1.1% tannins and 3.5% saponins. Spectroscopic study indicated isolated compound is a phenolic compound 3, 4, 5-tri hydroxybenzoic acid.

Asokarishtam, prepared using the bark of Asoka (Saraca asoka (Roxb.) de.wilde) is widely used in the management of uterine diseases. The scarcity of genuine Asoka bark is a problem facing by the ayurvedic industries and alternative to it without affecting the efficacy has become an urgent requirement. The present study explores whether leaf of Saraca asoka (Roxb.) de.wilde is an appropriate alternate for the bark of Saraca asoka (Roxb.) de.wilde. The physicochemical and phytochemical analysis were performed using standard procedures. The total phenolic content was determined using Folin-ciocalteu’s method, tannin content by Folin-Denis Method, flavonoids by Aluminium chloride colorimetric method and radical scavenging activity by 2’2-diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazine method. Thin layer chromatographic profiling was also performed on precoated silica gel aluminium plate. The physicochemical and phytochemical analysis of Asokarishtam with leaf  and Asokarishtam with bark  do not show any significant variation. The total phenolic content (6.47 %, 7.33 %), tannin content (6.02 %, 5.79 %), flavonoid content (0.775 %, 0.786 %) and radical scavenging activity (20 µg/ml, 18 µg/ml)    of both Asokarishtam with leaf and bark are comparable. Thin layer chromatographic profiling shows similar Rf in Asokarishtam with leaf and bark. From this study it is concluded that there is a probability of substituting leaf of Saraca asoka (Roxb.) de.wilde for its bark. Activity evaluations including In-Vivo and Toxicological studies are proposed before confirming the usage of leaves for the bark in the preparation of Asokarishtam.