In house & Marketed Preparation of Hingwashtak Churna, A Polyherbal Formulation: Comparative Standardization and Measures

2.1. Plant Material

Hingwashtak churna is composed of mainly eight ingredients viz., Piper nigrum, Piper longum, Zingiber officinale, Nigella sativa, Cuminum cyminum, Trachyspermum ammi, Ferula foetida, and Rock salt (Saindhava Lavana). All these ingredients were purchased from the local area.

2.2. Development of Hingwashtak Churna

The churna was formulated according to the procedures given in Ayurvedic Formulary of India. Piper nigrum, Piper longum, Zingiber officinale, Nigella sativa, Cuminum cyminum and Trachyspermum ammi were taken in equal amounts that were 100 grams each as mentioned in Table 1, in the coarsely powdered form and were fried in equal quantities. The fried ingredients as shown in Fig. (1) become more stable, moisture free and more potent. They were then coarsely grinded separately and passed through 80 # sieve and mixed together in an equal proportions, along with Ferula foetida fried in ghee and rock salt to get uniform and homogenous churna [8].

2.3. Role of the Constituents

Role of individual components is important in order to signify the usage of the particular crude drug. As the formulation is digestive in nature, the constituents taken are effective as carmintive and fight against flatulence and bloating.

Black salt, as shown in Fig. (2) is used as an integral component of many products meant for the purpose of easing digestion like Hingwastak Churna which is used for care of abdomen as it facilitates digestion without causing irritation in stomach and worsening gastritis. Ginger powder, shown in Fig. (3), is used as a remedy to cure indigestion.

Piper nigrum and longum in Figs. (4, 5), serve important role as carminatives. They help to remove the flatulence, caused by the formation of gases in the gastro-intestinal tract. The alkaloid piperine present in both serves many medicinal purposes. It is digestive, appetizer and also acts as a tonic [9]. Ferula foetida, as shown in Fig. (6) and Black cumin in Fig. (7) are a boon for several diseases of the stomach. It is one of the best alternates available for the problem of flatulence and is an important part of most of the digestive formulations. To get rid of flatulence and distension of the abdomen, asafoetida is dissolved in hot water and used [10]. Hingwashtak churna preparation designed in the lab, as shown in Fig. (8), is a perfect blend of digestives as T. ammi, as shown in Fig. (9) and cumin shown in Fig. (10) facilitates the secretion of gastric acid; also when added to the infusions, the gastric acid secretion enhances upto four folds. It reduces food retention time and also increases the efficacy of digestive enzymes and facilitates a higher secretion of bile acids [11, 12].

It solves the problem of constipation upto major extent, when taken on regular basis [13]. Cumin, as shown in Fig. 10, and ginger powder, shown in Fig. 3, are used as a remedy to cure indigestion, flatulence and lack of appetite [14].

2.4. Marketed Samples

The marketed samples of Hingwashtak churna and preparation designed in the lab, as shown in Fig. (8) were evaluated on the basis of their organoleptic features, physical characters and physicochemical aspects.

Organoleptic evaluation refers to the assessment of the preparation by its sensory features as colour, odour, taste, touch, appearance etc. The organoleptic characters [15] of the samples were measured on the basis of the methods as described by Siddiqui et al.

2.5. Physicochemical Explorations

Physicochemical explorations of both formulations were carried out, involving the inspection of extractive values and ash values [16].

2.6. Fluorescence Investigation

The powdered samples were revealed to ultraviolet light at short and long wavelengths of 254 and 366 nm respectively [4]. Fluorescence examination was tested out as per the procedures defined by Kokoshi et al. One milligram of powdered drug is usually preferred for the purpose of examination on the microslide and then observed under short and long UV as well as day light to study the fluorescent features of powder. One milligram powdered drug was treated with 1 ml of 1 N HCl on the microslide and observed underUV 366, 254 and in day light. Then again fresh sample was taken on the microslide, which was further treated with 1 ml 1 N NaOH and examined after a few minutes in day light, under UV 366 and 254. Powdered drug was then treated with 1 ml 1 N NaOH in 1 ml methanol. Similarly one milligram powdered drug was placed on a microslide and treated with 1 ml 50% KOH and another one milligram sample was treated with 1 ml of 50% sulfuric acid and observed under UV 366,254 and in day light. Treatment with 1 ml of concentratred sulfuric acid and analysis under UV 366, UV 254 and in day light is performed.One milligram powdered drug was placed on a microslide and treated with 1 ml of 50% HNO and observed under UV 366, UV 254 and in day light. On the treatment with 1 ml of concentrated HNO3 and observed under UV 366, UV 254 and in day light, different results were obtained. The samples were treated with 1 ml of acetic acid and observed under UV 366, UV 254 and in day light. The powdered drug was placed on a microslide and treated with 1 ml of iodine and observed under UV 366, UV 254 and in day light [17].

2.7. Phytochemical Analysis

The churnas, both in house as well as the marketed preparation were tested for the presence of different phytoconstituents. Different reagents were used for this purpose to detect the groups of carbohydrates, phenols, glycosides, alkaloids, steroids, tannins and proteins [11].