An analytical study on panchavalkala choorna - a poly herbal compound in the management of psoriasis

Abstract

Background: Panchavalkala Choorna is a poly herbal compound made from the barks of five major drugs from the Ficus family. It is widely quoted as an effective remedy in various skin disorders explained under the wide spectrum of Kushta (skin disorders), mentioned in Ayurvedic classics. However, till date no published data is available on the analytical profile of this compound formulation. The present study was aimed to standardize and develop the pharmacognostical and phytochemical profile of Panchavalkala Choorna. The compund was prepared as per classical methods and analytical findings were systematically recorded. The samples were subjected to organoleptic analysis, physicochemical analysis and High performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC) examination by optimizing the solvent systems. Pharmacognostical profile of Panchavalkala Choorna was established. Loss on drying, Specific gravity, Viscosity and Refractive index, Iodine value, Acid value and Saponification value of Panchavalkala Choorna were found within prescribed limits. HPTLC fingerprinting profile of ST revealed 6 spots at 254 nm and 4 spots at 366 nm. Two spots were merging in both the long and short UV, showing common characters in both the wavelengths.