STANDARDIZATION OF SARAL VIRECHAN CHURNA AND SWADISTHA VIRECHAN CHURNA

Saral virechan churna and Swadishtha virechan churna are polyherbal formulation primarily used in constipation. Saral virechan contains liquorice, fennel, himaj, pepper, ginger, sindhavmithu, sakar and suddha sulphur, while Swadishtha virechan contains liquorice, fennel, senna, sakar and suddha sulphur. The present study was carried out to establish quality parameters of Saral virechan and Swadistha virechan churna by undertaking extensive studies of them. Morphological and microscopical studies of churna along with evaluation of physicochemical parameters were carried out. Saral virechan churna is fibrous, brownish green in colour, pungent with aromatic odour, whereas Swadishtha virechan churna is fibrous, green, sweet and aromatic. Powder study of Saral virechan churna showed starch grains, parenchyma, fragment of vittae, endocarp, stone cells and xylem vessels, while fragment of vittae, warty trichomes, endocarp, epicarp, lignified and non-lignified fibers, cluster of calcium oxalate found in Swadistha virechan churna. Phytochemical screening indicated presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, sterols and triterpenoids, phenolics, tannins, saponins and carbohydrates in both the formulations and additionally anthraquinone glycosides in Saral virechan churna. The content of gallic acid was found to be 1.12+0.00702% w/w in Saral virechan churna while glycyrrhetinic acid in Saral virechan churna and Swadistha virechan churna was found around 0.39+0.00702% w/w by HPTLC method. GC MS analysis of volatile oil from both churna revealed presence of various terpenes. The standardization parameters developed using marker analysis would serve as a useful tool for quality evaluation of both the formulations.