Pharmacognosy and quality characterization of Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Delile fruits

Fruits of Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Delile syn. B. roxburghii Planch (Family Balanitaceae) is considered as source of Ingudi of Ayurveda. It is a thorny tree with ovoid pulpy drupe type of fruit. In Ayurveda, Ingudi bark, leaf and fruits are said to be beneficial as blood purifier, diuretic, in leprosy, poisoning, ulcers, worm infestation, leucoderma, anorexia and constipation. Seed extract is hypotensive and the seed oil is used for burns and freckles. The unripe fruits are cathartic and the ripe ones are used in whooping cough and skin troubles. The fruits are also reported to possess antihperglycemic activity. In the present study, systematic pharmacognostical evaluation of ripe fruits has been carried out as per standard methodologies used for drug standardisation. Macroscopical, microscopical and physico-chemical features of the fruit have been documented. Preliminary phytochemical investigations indicated presence of carbohydrates, coumarins, triterpenoids and saponins. HPTLC fingerprint profile has been developed for methanol extract of pulp using diosgenin as standard. The result obtained from standardization of fruit established set diagnostic tests to authenticate genuine fruits. These parameters can be utilized for rapid identification of the drug as whole and as powder

<span style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal;mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language: HI" lang="EN-US">Pharmacognosy and quality characterization of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Balanites aegyptiaca</i> (L.) Delile fruits</span>

40-50<span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family: " times="" new="" roman","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"times="" roman";mso-bidi-font-family:="" mangal;mso-ansi-language:en-us;mso-fareast-language:en-us;mso-bidi-language:="" hi"="" lang="EN-US">Fruits of Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Delile syn. B. roxburghii Planch (Family Balanitaceae) is considered as source of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Ingudi of Ayurveda. It is a thorny tree with ovoid pulpy drupe type of fruit. In Ayurveda, Ingudi bark, leaf and fruits are said to be beneficial as blood purifier, diuretic, in leprosy, poisoning, ulcers, worm infestation, leucoderma, anorexia and constipation. Seed extract is hypotensive and the seed oil is used for burns and freckles. The unripe fruits are cathartic and the ripe ones are used in whooping cough and skin troubles. The fruits are also reported to possess antihperglycemic activity. In the present study, systematic pharmacognostical evaluation of ripe fruits has been carried out as per standard methodologies used for drug standardisation. Macroscopical, microscopical and physico-chemical features of the fruit have been documented. Preliminary phytochemical investigations indicated presence of carbohydrates, coumarins, triterpenoids and saponins. HPTLC fingerprint profile has been developed for methanol extract of pulp using diosgenin as standard. The result obtained from standardization of fruit established set diagnostic tests to authenticate genuine fruits. These parameters can be utilized for rapid identification of the drug as whole and as powder.</span

Quality standards for Hutabhugādi cūrṇa (Ayurvedic Formulary of India)

In India, herbal medicines are mainly based on the Ayurvedic system. The main drawback of traditional medicines is a lack of standardized products. Standardization of any herbal formulation is essential in order to assess the quality, purity, safety, and efficacy of drugs based on the analysis of their active properties. Testing of Ayurvedic preparations using scientific methodologies will add to quality and authenticity of the product. This article reports standardization parameters for Hutabhugādi cūrṇa (HC) used traditionally in the treatment of Agnimāndya (digestive impairment), Pāndu (anemia), Sopha (edema), and Ārsa (piles). The formulation was prepared as per Ayurvedic Formulary of India, and it was standardized by organoleptic characterization, macro–microscopic evaluation, physicochemical testing, and thin-layer chromatography/high-performance thin-layer chromatography profiling employing a standard methodology. Results of the experiments conducted provided diagnostic characteristics to identify and standardize the formulation prepared using official ingredients of HC. Based on the data obtained, a monograph on quality standards for HC is proposed. The monograph based on the present investigation results would serve as a document to control the quality of HC