Trividha Snehapaka of Panchagavya Ghrita: A critical comparative evaluation.
BACKGROUND
The three stages of Snehapaka formulations namely Mridu, Madhyama and Khara Paka have been characteristically advocated for different routes of administration-Nasya, Pana/Basti and Abhyanga, respectively. Guidelines or established method for post-formulation characterization for the same is hardly available.


OBJECTIVE
The present communication is the comparative study of Mridu, Madhyama and Khara Paka of Panchagavya ghrita (PGG).


METHODS
Laboratory prepared samples of PGG following classical method were analyzed for different physicochemical, spectroscopic, chromatographic parameters, and antioxidant activity.


RESULTS
No significant difference was found among Mridu, Madhyama and Khara Paka in physicochemical parameters as well as chromatographic profiles. The ratio of absorbance at 240 and 294 nm showed steady increase from Mridu to Madhyama to Khara Paka in the ultraviolet (UV)-visible spectra of unsaponifiable matter. The high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC)-2,2 Diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazil (DPPH) bioautography assay revealed presence of two antioxidant compounds in low concentration in all the samples. This was further supported by estimation of total reducing power and DPPH assay. No significant difference was found among the three samples.


CONCLUSIONS
Comparison of various physicochemical parameters, chromatographic profiles, and in vitro antioxidant activity determination is of little help in establishing any significant difference among the samples. However, spectrophotometric analysis of unsaponifiable matter reveals some encouraging characteristic findings which will be useful in establishing difference among the three stages of processing of PGG as well as Snehapaka in general.
RMD Research and Development Center, Valsad, Gujarat, India.
Nikhil M
NM
Jirankalgikar
Pankaj B
PB
Nariya
Arun V
AV
Athavale
Subrata
S
De
Antioxidant; HPTLC-2 Diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazil (DPPH) bioautography; High performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC); Mridu/Madhyama/Khara Paka; Panchagavya ghrita