Abstract

PHARMACEUTICO-ANALYTICAL STUDY OF ARJUNA GHRITA PREPARED WITH MURCHITA AND AMURCHITA GOGHRITA

Aparna S.* and Tarika S. Bangera

Abstract

Terminalia arjuna, commonly known as Arjuna, is a member of Combretaceae family. It is considered as a potential cardioprotective agent since the Vedic era. Arjuna Ghrita is a well-known ghee based Ayurvedic formulation. Sneha Kalpana can be defined as a pharmaceutical process to prepare oleaginous medicaments from the substances such as Kalka, Kwatha or Drava Dravya in specific proportion by subjecting it to unique heating pattern and duration to fulfil certain pharmaceutical parameters, according to the need of therapeutics. Murchana is a unique pharmaceutical procedure which has to be done before subjecting the drugs to Sneha Paka. It is considered as one of Samskaras of Sneha and aids in the acquisition of particular pharmacological as well as therapeutic properties. There is no record of any reference to Sneha Murchana in Brihattrayee and therefore can be considered as a later development. In the present study, Arjuna Ghrita samples were prepared separately using Murchita Ghrita and plain ghee (Indian cow's ghee). Organoleptic characters (colour, odour, taste, texture and touch) and physicochemical parameters (acid value, peroxide value, iodine value, saponification value, refractive index and specific gravity) were determined for both the samples. The Murchana process was found to be beneficial towards quality of Ghrita. Decrease in acid value, peroxide value and free fatty acids indicates decrease in the degree of rancidity. Murchana process not only imparts good colour and odour but also minimises rancidity and increases the stability of the formulation.

Keywords: Goghrita; Murchana; Arjuna Ghrita.