Ayurvedic Dosage Forms
By
Dr. Vikram Yadav
Ayurvedic Dosage forms
Ayurveda is a very well documented System of Health Care Practiced in
Indian Sub-Continent.
Ayurvedic medicines are medicines intended for internal or external use,
for or in the diagnosis ,treatment, mitigation or prevention of disease
or disorder in human beings or animals.
Ayurvedic Drugs are obtained from the natural source that is from animal,
plants and minerals.
Ayurvedic Dosage forms are classified in to four groups –
• Solid Dosage Forms : Pills, Gutika, Vatika.
• Semi-solid Dosage Forms : Avleha, Paka, Lepa, Ghrta.
• Liquid Dosage Forms : Asava, Arista, Arka, Taila, Dravaka.
• Powder Dosage Forms : Bhasma, Satva, Mandura, Pisti,
Parpati, Lavana, Kshara, Churna.
Ayurvedic Dosage forms
Solid Dosage Forms Vati or Gutika - Medicaments in the form of Tablets or
pills are known as vati or Gutika. e.g.: Muktadi Mahanjana and Chandroday
Vartti.
Semi-solid Dosage Forms Lepa - The preparations in the form of paste meant
for external applications on the body are known as Lepa. e.g.: Sinduradi
Lepa, Pathyadi Lepa.
Avleha or Leha and Paka - Avleha or Leha is a Semi-solid preparations of drugs
prepared by addition of sugar, jaggery or sugar candy and boiled with
prescribed drug juice or decoction.
Liquid Dosage Forms Asava and Arista - These are the medicinal preparations
prepared by soaking the drugs in the powdered forms or in the form of
their decoction, in a solution of sugar as may have intended for a specific
period of time. It may produce self generated alcohol on fermentation and
have sedation .
Arka - It is the liquid preparation obtained by distillation of certain liquids or
curde drugs soaked in water using the distillation unit, (Arkayantra).
Ayurvedic Dosage forms
Liquid Dosage Forms: Dravaka - The liquid preparations obtained from
lavanas or ksharas are known as Dravakas. They are prepared by
distillation process with or without addition of any fluids. e.g.: Sankha
Dravaka.
Taila (Oils) - Tailas are the preparations in which tailas (Fixed Oils) is
boiled with specified decoction and fine paste of the drug as mentioned
in the prescribed formula. e.g.: Bhrangaraja Taila, Maha Narayan Taila.
Powder Dosage Forms: Curna (Churna) - Fine powder of drug or drugs is
known as Curna, Drugs mentioned in yoga are cleaned, properly, dried
thoroughly, Pulversied and then sieved.
Ksaras - Alakaline substances obtained from the ash of drugs are known
as Ksaras. Drugs are cut in to small pieces and burnt to get ash. Ash is
dissolved in water, stained again evaporated to get rid of water while
salty solid obtained is known as Ksar. e.g.: Yav Ksara, Palsa Ksara.
Standardization of herbal formulations
Standardization of herbal formulations is essential in order to assess
the quality of drugs, based on the concentration of their active
principles, physical and chemical standards.
Standardization parameters
– Organoleptic properties,
– Physico‐chemical investigations,
– determination of pH
– Fluorescence analysis,
– Preliminary Phytochemical analysis,
– determination of moisture content,
– determination of viscosity
– surface tension and density
– determination of physical characteristics
Pharmacognosy of herbal drugs
Alkaloids:
Coffee:
Botanical name :Coffea Arabica Linn.
Family :Rubiaceae
Chemical Constituents: caffeine, 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine, is
demethylated into three primary metabolites: theophylline,
theobromine, and paraxanthine.
USES :Reported to be analgesic, anaphrodisiac, anorexic,
antidotal, cardiotonic, CNS-stimulant, counterirritant, diuretic,
hypnotic, lactagogue, nervine, stimulant, coffee is a folk remedy
for asthma, atropine-poisoning, fever, gout, diarrhea, cough,
and hysteriaflu, headache, jaundice, malaria, migraine, narcosis,
nephrosis, opium-poisoning, sores, and vertigo.
Pharmacognosy of herbal drugs
Alkaloids:
Belladonna (Atropa belladonna) :
Botanical name : Belladonna consists of dried leaves and
flowering tops of Atropa belladonna Linn.
Family : Solanaceae
Chemical Constituents: Belladonna contains 0.3–1.0% total
alkaloids, the prominent base is l-hyoscyamine and other
components are atropine, apoatropine.
USES : The drug is used as adjunctive therapy in the treatment
of peptic ulcer; functional digestive disorders, including spastic,
mucous and ulcerative colitis; diarrhoea, diverticulitis and
pancreatitis. Due to anticholinergic property, it is used to control
excess motor activity of the gastrointestinal tract and spasm of
the urinary tract.
Pharmacognosy of herbal drugs
Glycosides
Senna:
Botanical name :Dried leaflets of Cassia senna (Cassia
acutifolia)
Family :Leguminosae
Chemical Constituents: Dianthrone glycosides (1.5% – 3%),
Sennosides A and B
USES :Senna at times may cause little abdominal discomfort like
cramping. Prolonged use can cause
‘laxative dependency syndrome’ resulting in poor bowel
movement without the presence of a laxative and it also may
cause alteration of electrolytes. Also overuse may result in colon
pigmentation and reversible finger clubbing (enlarged finger
ends and toe ends).
Pharmacognosy of herbal drugs
Glycosides
Digitalis (Foxglove leaf):
Botanical name :The dried leaves of Digitalis lanata
Family :Scrophularineae
Chemical Constituents: Primary glycosides-
Purpurea glycosides A and B, glucogetaloxin and Secondary are
– digitoxin, gitoxin and getaloxin.
USES :used for congestive heart failure (CHF) and relieving
associated fluid retention (edema); irregular heartbeat,
including atrial fibrillation and “flutter;” asthma; epilepsy;
tuberculosis; constipation; headache; and spasm.
Pharmacognosy of herbal drugs
Flavonoids:
Rutin:
Botanical name :buckwheat plant (Fagopyrum
esculentum Moench)
Family : Polygonaceae
Chemical Constituents: Rutin
USES :
Rutin is used to decrease the capillary fragility (i.e., to enhance the tensile
strength of capillary walls), reduce capillary permeability by tissue injury, and
minimise the destruction of epinephrine in body tissues.
• It has been mostly used in certain disease condition to reduce capillary
bleeding promptly.
• It is found to be useful in the treatment of retinal harmorrhages.
Pharmacognosy of herbal drugs
Flavonoids:
Hesperidin :
Botanical name : Hesperidin is the most predominant flavonoid
in lemons and sweet orange Citrus sinensis (Linn.) Osbeck.
Family : Polygonaceae
Chemical Constituents: hesperidin
USES :
– It is normally used in conjunction with ascorbic acid to
minimise capillary fragility.
– It is also indicated in the prevention and management of
capillary fragility or permeability in hypertension,
cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease, and also in
habitual and threatened abortion.
Pharmacognosy of herbal drugs
Saponins :
Liquorice (Glycyrrhiza-glycyrrhizin) :
Botanical name : Liquorice is the dried, peeled or unpeeled,
roots, rhizome or stolon ofGlycyrrhiza glabra Linn
Family : Leguminosae
Chemical Constituents: The major active constituent of
Liquorice is glycyrrhizin (or glycyrrhizic acid)
USES :
– Glycyrrhiza has demulscent and expectorant properties
– It is used as a masking agent for bitter drugs in pharmaceutical formulations, such as: quinine,
aloe, ammonium chloride etc.
– Ammoniated glycyrrhiza is employed as a flavouring agent in beverages, pharmaceuticals and
confectionary.
– Liquorice liquid extract is used in the treatment of peptic ulcer.
– Liquorice liquid extract is employed as a foam stabilizer in the foam type-fire-extinguisher.
Pharmacognosy of herbal drugs
Saponins :
DIOSCOREA :
Botanical name : Dioscorea is the dried rhizome of several
species of Dioscorea like D. villosa, D. prazeri
Family : Dioscoreaceae
Chemical Constituents: The roots contain diosgenin (4–6%) a
steroidal sapogenin and its glycoside smilagenin, epismilagenin
and beta isomer yammogenin.
USES :
– It is a main source of diosgenin. This is widely used in modern
medicine in order to manufacture progesterone and other
steroid drugs. These are used as contraceptives and in the
treatment of various disorders of the genitary organs as well as
in a host of other diseases such as asthma and arthritis.
