title: Effect of detoxification (tadbeer) in content of toxic metabolites of Strychnos nux-vomica: A Unani approach for its use in human.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Azaraqi (Strychnos nux-vomica, Loganiaceae) has been the important Unani medicine since long time as a stimulant, anti-inflammatory, and blood purifier. It has been used very frequently by the Unani practitioner. But the Unani system recommends application of azaraqi in medicine only after its detoxification (tadbeer) may be because of the presence of its deadly poisonous alkaloids (strychnine and brucine). In the present investigation, an attempt has been made to quantify the actual content of their toxic alkaloids before and after the tadbeer.
  
  
  METHODS
  A sensitive high-performance thin layer chromatographic (HPTLC) method has been developed for estimation of strychnine and brucine in different samples of azaraqi before and after tadbeer. Precoated HPTLC silica gel plates were used as stationary phase and (toluene: Ethyl acetate: Dietylamine 7:2:1 v/v/v) was used as mobile phase.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Rf value of strychnine and brucine was found as 0.53 and 0.41, respectively. Detection and quantification were performed by densitometry at 270 nm. The calibration plot was linear in the range of 50-1000 ng of strychnine and brucine, respectively, with the correlation coefficient (r (2)) 0.993 and 0.991 for strychnine and brucine, respectively, which confirms good linearity. The content of strychnine was 0.175, 0.07, 0.18, 0.051, and 0.075% w/w whereas brucine was 0.16, 0.117, 0.061, 0.045, and 0.057 in crude azaraqi, azaraqi without outer cover, azaraqi outer cover only, azaraqi mudabbar and azaraqi mudabbar by fried in ghee, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The detoxification results in sharp decrease in content of toxic metabolites. The process by boiling in milk was found much effective but tedious as compare to frying method.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ilmul Advia, Faculty of Medicine, Hamdard University, Hamdard Nagar, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Noman
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Anwar
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry, Bioactive Natural Product Laboratory, Faculty of Pharmacy, Hamdard University, Hamdard Nagar, New Delhi, India ; Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Science, Mohammad Ali Jauhar University, Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Masood Shah
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry, Bioactive Natural Product Laboratory, Faculty of Pharmacy, Hamdard University, Hamdard Nagar, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Hifzul
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kabir
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry, Bioactive Natural Product Laboratory, Faculty of Pharmacy, Hamdard University, Hamdard Nagar, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Sayeed
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ahmad
keywords: Brucine; Strychnous nuxvomica Loganiaceae.; detoxification; high-performance thin layer chromatographic; strychnine