PRELIMINARY PHARMACOGNOSTIC AND PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING OF MARKET SAMPLES OF KARKATAKASRINGI (GALLS OF PISTACIA INTEGERRIMA STEW.EX BRAND.) IN KERALA
Dr. Sunitha S. Nair*, Dr. Indhulekha V. C. and Dr. A. Shahul Hameed
ABSTRACT
Karkatakasringi is an important ayurvedic drug indicated in many diseases and a constituent of preparations like Dasamularista, Chyavanaprasa, Shringyadi curna etc. It is a drug of vegetable origin and the source is identified as leaf galls of Pistacia integerrima Stew. Ex Brand as per API. This tree grows in Himalayas and often cultivated in Punjab. There was one pubished report of suspected adulteration of Karkatakasringi in South India. A market survey conducted showed that cost of Karkatakasringi in North India is ₹ 3000/Kg and that in Kerala is ₹ 400. So it is hypothesized that there is adulteration of Karkatakasringi in Kerala markets. Karkatakasringi was purchased from one market from Jammu, one market from Punjab, and from two market of south, middle and north zones of Kerala. Samples were labeled and evaluated both pharmacognostically and phyto-chemically as per standard procedures. Morphologically Kerala samples were entirely different in shape, size, color from the samples obtained from North India. They resemble Terminalia chebula galls in shape size and appearance. Phytochemical analysis showed that intensity of presence of tannin, flavonoids and phenols were far less in the Kerala market samples. In HPTLC analysis with the solvent system chloroform: ethyl acetate: formic acid (23:22:0.5), two spots were found less in Kerala samples. Quantitative estimation using HPTLC with solvent system Toluene:Ethyl acetate:Formic acid(6:5:1) and with gallic acid marker showed far less percentage of gallic acid in Kerala samples. Present study demonstrated marked adulteration of Karkatakasringi in Kerala raw drug stores and that the samples from Jammu and Punjab were genuine as per API standards.
Keywords: Karkatakasringi, Pistacia integerrima Terminalia chebula, Galls, Adulteration.
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