QUALITATIVE EVALUATION AND IMPACT OF VISHESH SHODHANA PROCESS ON GUGGUL (COMMIPHORA MUKUL)

Objective: Guggulu is one of the important dravya (drug) used in Ayurvedic formulations since ancient time which means “Protection against diseases”. Ashuddha guggulu has physical and chemical impurities which need to be eliminated before using in formulation by shodhana. The present study was conducted to evaluate and compare the effect of different shodhana processes i.e. Samanya shodhana and Vishesh shodhana on properties of guggul by employing various physicochemical and chromatographic methods. Method: Physicochemical screening was done by evaluating ash, Acid Insoluble Ash (AIA), Loss on Drying (LOD), Water Soluble Extractive (WSE), Alcohol Soluble Extractive (ASE) and Ethyl acetate Soluble Extractive (EASE). Chromatographic analysis was performed to estimate guggulsterone (E and Z) content and to confirm the presence of ellagic acid and gallic acid, tinosporaside and diosgenin after shodhana with Triphala kwath, Gulvel kwath and Dashmool kwath respectively, using High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC). Result: The Physico-chemical studies showed decrease in LOD, Ash and AIA content and increase in extractive values such as ASE and EASE of guggul after shodhana process. The HPTLC analysis showed no significant change in guggulsterone (E and Z) content in guggul after shodhana process. The peak of ellagic acid and gallic acid, tinosporaside and diosgenin was observed in Triphala shodhit Guggul, Gulvel shodhit Guggul and Dashmool Shodhit Guggul respectively. Conclusion: This study helps to understand the effect of Vishesh shodhana on the efficacy of drug. In this study, we established qualitative profile of Vishesh Shodhit Guggul in terms of physicochemical parameters and phytochemical content by HPTLC.