monographs of some drugs according to indian pharacopoeia

1. MONOGRAPHS OF HERBAL
DRUGS ACCORDING TO
AYURVEDIC
PHARMACOPOEIA OF INDIA
PRESENTED BY : MANISH KUMAR (M. PHARM)
DEPARTMENT : PHARMACEUTICAL ANALYSIS

2. INTRODUCTION :
The Ayurvedic system of medicine is prevalent in India since
the vedic period and as early as the dawn of human civilization.
Though Ayurveda has undergone many changes in the course of
its long history, it still remains the mainstay of medical relief to a
large section of population of the nation. In view of the new
trend in Ayurvedic pharmaceutical field, Government of India
considered its expedient to utilize the existing Drugs and
Cosmetics Act 1940, to also control to a limited measure the
Ayurvedic , Siddha and Unani drugs by amending the Act.

3. 1.Asvagandha
Asvagandha consists of dried mature roots of Withania somnifera
(Fam.Solanaceae), a perennial shrub, found in waste land,
cultivated field and open grounds throughout India, widely
cultivated in certain areas of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan,
roots collected in winter, washed and cut into short pieces.

4. SYNONYMS:
Sanskrit : Hayagandha, Vajigandha
Assamese : Ashvagandha
Bengali : Ashvagandha
Gujrati : Asgandha
Hindi : Asgandh
Kannada : Angarberu, Hiremaddina-gida
Kashmiri : Asagandh
Malayalam : Amukkuram
Marathi : Asagandha, Askagandha
Oriya : Aswagandha
Punjabi : Asgandh

5. DESCRIPTION:
a) Macroscopic
 Roots straight, unbranched,
 Thickness varying with age.
 Roots bear fibre -like secondary roots,
 Outer surface buff to grey-yellow with longitudinal wrinkles,
 Crown consists of 2-6 remains of stem base,
 Stem bases variously thickened,
 Nodes prominent only on the side from where petiole arises,
 Odour, characteristic,
 Taste, bitter and acrid.

6. b) Microscopic
Transverse section of root shows cork exfoliated or crushed, when
present isodiametric and non-lignified, cork cambium of 2-4
diffused rows of cells, secondary cortex about twenty layers of
compact parenchymatous cells, phloem consists of sieve tubes,
companion cells, phloem parenchyma, cambium 4-5 rows of
tangentially elongated cells, secondary xylem hard forming a
closed vascular ring separated by multiseriate medullary rays, a
few xylem parenchyma

7. IDENTITY, PURITY AND STRENGTH
a) Foreign matter Not more than 2 per cent,
b) Total Ash Not more than 7 per cent
c) Acid-insoluble ash Not more than 1
percent
d) Alcohol-soluble extractive Not less than
15 percent.
e) Water-soluble extractive Nil

8. ASSAY:
Aswagandha consists of not less than 0.2 per cent of total
alkaloids, when assayed as follows:
 Take about 30g accurately weighed of the powdered drug,
cover with Alcohol (90 percent) and allow to stand overnight.
 Extract for 6 hours so wet apparatus and concentrate to a
syrup residue.
 Treat with 25, 20, 15 and 10 ml portions of 5 per cent
Sulphuric Acid until complete extraction of alkaloid is
affected.

9.  To the combined acid extracts add an excess of Dragandoff's
reagent.
 Filter under suction and dissolve the residue in Acetone,
Shake the acetone solution with freshly prepared suspension
of 2ml Silver Carbonate in 10 ml of Water.
 Filter the solution and wash the precipitate with Acetone,
Alcohol and water in that order.
 Pass sufficient Hydrogen Sulphide through the filtrate. Boil
the solution for 10 minutes, Inter and evaporate under
vacuum in a tared flask.
 Add to the residue 5 ml of Ethyl Alcohol - evaporate to
dryness, repeat the process once again and weight the
residue to constant weight in a vacuum desiccator.

10. CONSTITUENTS - Alkaloids and withanolides.
PROPERTIES AND ACTION:
 Rasa : Tikta, Kasaya
 Guna : Laghu
 Virya : Usna
 Vipaka : Madhura Sweet (madhura), sour (amla), salty
(lawana), pungent (katu) bitter (tikta) and astringent
(kasaya).
 Karma : Rasayana,, Balya,
.

11. IMPORTANT FORMULATIONS –
 Asvagandhadyarishta
 Asvagandhadi Leha
 Balasvagandha Laksadi Taila
THERAPEUTIC USES –
Sotha, ksaya, Daubalya, Vataroga, Klaibya
DOSE - 3-6 g of the drug in powder form.

12. 2) ARDRAKA (Rhizome)
Ardraka consists of fresh rhizome of Zingiber officinale Rosc.
(Fam.Zingiberaceae); a herbaceous rhizomatous perennial,
reaching up to 90 cm in height, widely cultivated in India.
Rhizomes are dug in January-February, buds and roots are
removed and washed well.

13. SYNONYMS:
Sanskrit : Katubhadra,
Bengali : Ada
English : Ginger
Gujrati : Adu
Hindi : Adarakha
Kannada : Alla, Hasishunti
Malayalam : Inchi
Marathi : Ardrak, Ale
Punjabi : Adi, Adrak
Tamil : Injee, Allam, lakottai, Inji
Telugu : Allamu, Allam
Urdu : Adrak

14. DESCRIPTION:
a) Macroscopic
Drug occurs as entire rhizome or in pieces, rhizome
laterally compressed bearing flattish ovate, oblique
branches on upper side, each having a depressed scar at
its apex, pieces 5-15 cm long, 1.5-6.5 cm wide (usually 3-4
cm) and 1-1.5 cm thick, fracture, short with projecting
fibres, transversely cut surface shows a wide central stele
having numerous greyish cut ends of fibres and yellow
secreting cells; odour, gingery; taste, pungent

15. b) Microscopic
Rhizome - Shows a few layered, irregularly arranged,
tangentially elongated, brown cells of outer cork and 6-12
rows of thin-walled, colorless, radially arranged cells of inner
cork; secondary cortex consisting of hexagonal to polygonal,
isodiametric, thin-walled, parenchymatous cells containing
numerous circular to oval starch grains with striations and
hilum at one end with clear concentric striations, measuring
5-25μ in 12 dia., idioblasts containing large yellowish to
brownish globules of oleo-resin; walls of oil
cells suberized ; numerous closed, conjoint, collateral,
cortical fibro-vascular bundles scattered throughout cortical
zone, greater number occurring in inner cortical region,

16. larger bundles consists of 2- 7 vessels, small cells of sieve tube,
polygonal cells of parenchyma and group of fibres; vessels
showing reticulate, scalariforrn and spiral thickening; fibres
septate with a few oblique pores on their walls; endodermis
single layered, free from starch; pericyclic single layered
enclosing central stele; stele consisting of thin-walled polygonal,
isodiametric cells of parenchyma, filled with abundant starch
grains, oleo-resin cells similar to those present in cortex; fibro
vascular bundles of two types, those arranged along pericycle in
a definite ring are smaller in size and devoid of fibres, vessels 2-
5 in number, larger bundles found scattered throughout stele,
composed of xylem, phloem, parenchyma and sheath of
sclerenchyma.

17. IDENTITY, PURITY AND STRENGTH:
 Foreign matter Not more than 0.5 per cent,
 Total Ash Not more than 8 per cent,
 Acid-insoluble ash Not more than 1 per
cent.
 Alcohol-soluble extractive Not less than 5
percent.
 Water-soluble extractive Not less than 2 per
cent.
 Moisture content Not more than 90 per cent,

18. CONSTITUENTS - Volatile Oil containing Cineole
zingiberol, and sesquiterpene like zingiberene, bisobolene
and sesqui phellandrene, gingerosol in the oleo-resin.
PROPERTIES AND ACTION:
1. Rasa : Katu
2. Guna : Guru, Ruksa,
3. Virya : Usna
4. Vipaka : Madhura
5. Karma : Dipana, Hrdya, Kaphahara, Vatahara, Rocana,
Bhedana, Svarya

19. IMPORTANT FORMULATIONS - Ardraka
Khandavaleha, Sarasvatarista.
THERAPEUTIC USES - Sula, Vibandha,
Anaha, Sopha, Kantharoga.
DOSE - 2-3 ml of the drug in juice form with
honey.

20. 3) HARIDRA
Haridra consists of the dried and cured rhizomes of
Curcuma longa Linn. (Fam. Zingiberaceae), a perennial
herb extensively cultivated in all parts of the country,
crop is harvested after 9-10 months when lower leaves
turn yellow rhizomes carefully dug up with hand-picks
between October-April and cured by boiling and dried.

21. SYNONYMS:
Sanskrit : Rajani, Nisa, Nisi, Ratri, Ksanada,Dosa
Assamese : Haldhi, Haladhi
Bengali : Halud, Haldi
English : Turmeric
Hindi : Haldi, Hardi
Kashmiri : Ledar, Ladhir
Marathi : Halad
Oriya : Haladi
Punjabi : Haldi, Haldar
Tamil : Manjal
Telugu : Pasupu
Urdu : Haldi

22. DESCRIPTION:
a) Macroscopic
Rhizomes ovate, oblong or pyriform (round turmeric) or
cylindrical, often short branched (long turmeric), former about
half as broad as long, latter 2-5 cm long and about 1-1.8 cm
thick, externally yellowish to yellowish-brown with root scars
and annulations of leaf bases, fracture horny, fractured
surface orange to reddish brown, central cylinder twice as
broad as cortex: odour and taste characteristic.

23. b) Microscopic
Transverse section of rhizome shows epidermis with thick-
walled, cubical cells of various dimensions, cortex characterized
by the presence of mostly thin-walled rounded parenchyma cells
scattered collateral vascular bundles, a few layers of cork
developed under epidermis and scattered oleo-resin cells with
brownish contents; cork generally composed of 4-6 layers of
thin-walled, brick-shaped parenchyma, cells of ground tissue
contain starch grains of 4-15 μ in diameter, oil cell with
suberized walls containing either orange-yellow globules of
volatile oil or amorphous resinous matter, vessels mainly spirally
thickened, a few reticulate and annular.

24. Identification-
1) On the addition of Concentrated Sulphuric acid or a
mixture of Concentrated Sulphuric acid and alcohol to the
powdered drug, a deep crimson color is produced.
2) A piece of filter paper is impregnated with an alcoholic
extract of the powder, dried, and then moistened with a
solution of Boric acid slightly acidified with Hydrochloric
acid, dried again, the filter paper assumes a pink or
brownish red colour which becomes deep blue or
greenish-black on the addition of alkali.

25. IDENTITY, PURITY AND STRENGTH:
 Foreign matter Not more than 2 per cent
 Total Ash Not more than 9 per cent.
 Acid-insoluble ash Not more than 1 per cent.
 Alcohol-soluble extractive Not less than 8 per cent.
 Water-soluble extractive Not less than 12 per cent.
 Volatile oil Not less than 4 per cent.

26. CONSTITUENTS :
Essential oil and a colouring matter (curcumin).
PROPERTIES AND ACTION:
Rasa : Katu, Tikta
Guna : RukÀa
Virya : Usna
Vipaka : Katu
Karma : Krmighna, Kushaghna, Varnya, Visaghna,

27. IMPORTANT FORMULATIONS –Haridra
Khanda
THERAPEUTIC USES – Pandu, Prameha,
Vrana, Visavikara, Kustha, Tvagroga,
DOSE - 1-3 g of the drug in powder form.

28. 4) LASUNA (Bulb)
Lasuna consists of bulb of Allium sativum Linn.
(Fam. Liliaceae); a perennial bulbous plant,
cultivated as an important condiment crop in the
country.

29. SYNONYMS -
Sansk. : Rasona, Assam. : Maharu
Beng. : Lasuna
Eng. : Garlic
Guj. : Lasan, Lassun
Hindi. : Lahasun
Kan. : Bulluci
Punj. : Lasan
Tam. : Vellaipoondu
Tel. : Vellulli, Tellapya, Tellagadda
Urdu. : Lahsan, Seer

30. DESCRIPTION -
a) Macroscopic:
Drug occurs as entire bulb or isolated cloves (bulblets); bulb sub-
globular, 4-6 cm in diameter, consisting of 8-20 cloves,
surrounded by 3-5 whitish papery membranous scales attached to
a short disc-like woody stem having numerous wiry rootlets on the
under side; each clove is irregularly ovoid, tapering at upper end
with dorsal convex surface, 2-3 cm long, 0.5 - 0.8 cm wide, each
surrounded by two very thin papery whitish and brittle scales
having 2-3 yellowish green folded leaves contained within two
white fleshy, modified leaf bases or scales; odour, peculiarly
pungent and disagreeable; taste, acrid gives warmth to the
tongue.

31. b) Microscopic:
A clove of bulb shows tri to tetrangular appearance in outline;
outer scale consists of an outer epidermis, followed by
hypodermal crystal layer, mesophyll made of parenchyma cells
and an inner epidermis; both outer and inner epidermis consists
of sub rectangular cells; hypodermis consists of compressed,
irregular, tangentially elongated cells, each cell having large
prismatic crystals of calcium oxalate, while many cells contain
small prismatic crystals also, mesophyll several layers of
parenchymatous cells having a few vascular tissues with spiral
vessels; inner epidermis similar to outer one; inner scale similar
to outer scale but outer epidermis composed of
sclerenchymatous cells; prismatic crystals in hypodermis slightly
smaller.

32. IDENTITY, PURITY AND STRENGTH –
 Foreign matter Not more than 2 Per cent
 Total ash Not more than 4 Per cent
 Acid-insoluble ash Not more than 1 Per cent
 Alcohol-soluble extractive Not less than 2.5 Per cent,
 Loss on drying Not less than 60 Per cent
 Volatile Oil Not less than 0.1 Per cent

33. T.L.C. -
 T.L.C. of the alcoholic extract on Silica gel 'G' plate using n-
Butanol : Isopropanol Acetic acid: Water (3 : 1: 1 : 1) shows
under UV (366 nm) two fluorescent zones at Rf. 0.58 and
0.72 (both light blue).
 On exposure to Iodine vapour nine spots appear at Rf.
0.18, 0.26, 0.34, 0.38, 0.46, 0.58, 0.72, 0.77 and 0.93 (all
yellow)
 On spraying with Ninhydrin reagent and heating the plate
for ten minutes at 110°C seven spots appear at Rf. 0.26,
0.38, 0.46, 0.58, 0.67, 0.72 and 0.93 (all pink).

34.  On spraying with Vanillin-Sulphuric acid reagent
and heating the plate for ten minutes at 110°C
seven spots appear at Rf. 0.26, 0.38, 0.46, 0,58,
0.67, 0.72 and 0.93 (all gery).

35. CONSTITUENTS - Volatile Oil containing Allyl
Disulphide and Diallyl Disulphide. It also contains
Allin, Allicin, Mucilage and Albumin.
PROPERTIES AND ACTION -
Rasa : Madhura, Katu
Guna : Guru, Picchila, Sara, Snigdha,
Virya : Usna
Vipaka : Katu
Karma : Balya, Dipana, Hrdya, Kaphahara,
Medhya, Raktadosahara, Vetahara, Vrsya,

36. IMPORTANT FORMULATIONS - Lasunadi Vati,
Lasunadi Ghrta And Vaca
Lasunadi Taila
THERAPEUTIC USES - Jirna, Jvara, Krmiroga,
Gulma, Kusthaa, Arsa, Kasa, Svasa,
Pinasa, Sula,
DOSE - 3 - g. of the drug.

37. 5) AMALAKÌ(Fresh Fruit)
Ëmalak¢ consists of fresh fruit pulp of Emblica officinalis
Gaertn. (Fam.Euphorbiaceae); a small or medium sized tree,
found in mixed deciduous forests, ascending
to 1300 m on hills and cultivated in gardens and homeyards.

38. SYNONYMS
Sanskrit : Amalaka, Amrtaphala, Dhatriphala
Assamese : Amlaku, Amlakhi, Amlakhu
Bengali : Amla, Dhatri
English : Emblic Myrobalan
Gujrati : Ambala, Amala
Hindi : Amla, Aonla
Kannada : Nellikayi
Kashmiri : Embali, Amli
Malayalam : Nellikka
Marathi : Anvala, Avalkathi
Oriya : Anala, Ainla
Punjabi : Aula, Amla

39. DESCRIPTION
a) Macroscopic
Fruit, globose, 2.5-3.5 cm in diameter, fleshy, smooth with six
prominent lines; greenish when tender, changing to light
yellowish or pinkish color when mature, with a few dark
specks: taste, sour and astringent followed by delicately
sweet taste.
b)

40. b) Microscopic
Transverse section of mature fruit shows an epicarp consisting of single
layer of epidermis and 2-4 layers of hypodermis; epidermal cell, tabular
in shape, covered externally with a thick cuticle and appear in surface
view as polygonal; hypodermal cells tangentially elongated, thick-walled,
smaller in dimension than epidermal cells; mesocarp forms bulk of fruit,
consisting of thin-walled parenchymatous cells with intercellular spaces,
peripheral 6-9 layers smaller, ovoid or tangentially elongated while rest
of cells larger in size, isodiametric and radially elongated; xylem
composed of tracheal elements, fibre tracheids and xylem fibres;
tracheal elements show reticulate scalariform and spiral thickenings;
xylem fibres elongated with narrow lumen and pointed end; mesocarp
contains large aggregates of numerous irregular silica crystals.

41. IDENTITY, PURITY AND STRENGTH
 Foreign matter Not more than 2 per cent.
 Total Ash Not more than 7 per cent.
 Acid-insoluble ash Not more than 2 per cent.
 Alcohol-soluble extractive Not less than 40 per cent.(On
dried basis)
 Water-soluble extractive Not less than 50 per cent.
 Moisture content Not less than 80 per cent.

42. CONSTITUENTS – Ascorbic acid and tannins.
PROPERTIES AND ACTION -
 Rasa : Madhura, Amla, Katu, Tikta,
 Guna : Laghu, Ruksa
 Virya : Sita
 Vipaka : Madhura
 Karma : Tridosajit, Rasayana, Caksusya

43. IMPORTANT FORMULATIONS -Cyavanaprasa.
THERAPEUTIC USES - Raktapitta; Amlapitta;
Prameha; Daha
DOSE - 10-20 g of the drug.
5-10 ml of fresh juice.