A PRELIMINARY PHARMACOGNOSTICAL AND PHYSICOCHEMICAL ASSAY OF SHUNTHI KHANDA GRANULES

Abstract

Shunthi (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) is a drug with multi-dimensional activities mentioned in Ayurvedic classics for different disease conditions. Ayurvedic pharmacopeia also holds a number of formulations where Shunthi is one of the active components. Shunthi Khanda avaleha of Bhaisajya Ratnavali is one amongst them. Though Shunthi Khanda avaleha has significant therapeutic effect in case of Amlapitta, etc, it has few difficulties during pharmaceutical procedure like climatic influences, chance of bacterial or fungal growth, etc. Considering these inconveniencies, an attempt was made to change the form of Shunthi Khanda avaleha into Shunthi Khanda granules and assessed for its pharmacognostical and pharmaceutical characters. Samsakara is a tool mentioned in Ayurveda which refers to modification or processing of drug to potentiate it, or to get desired action or to change its form. The present study provides the details of Shunthi Khanda granules preparation, its pharmacognostical and physicochemical characters which may help in laying down a standard protocol for future research works.