Summary
Introduction: Shankhpushpi has been widely used in traditional Indian systems of medicine as a brain and memory boosting tonic. There are a variety of botanicals reported to be used as sources of Shankhpushpi in various parts of India. For instance, Canscora decussata Schult, Clitorea ternatea Linn., Convolvulus pluricaulis Choisy. and Evolvulus alsinoides Linn. are most commonly used as sources of Shankhpushpi by practitioners of Ayurveda in different parts of the country.
Objective: When it comes to using Shankhpushpi in herbal formulations, qualitative and quantitative analysis of the correct botanicals in the formulation decides its pharmacological effectiveness. Scopoletin and mangiferin are proven bioactive markers identified in Shankhpushpi botanicals in our previous studies. Hence the study is aimed at providing a simple analytical method for the identification of the correct variety of Shankhpushpi using proven markers.
Methods: In this study, a High Performance Liquid Chromatographic (HPLC) method has been developed for the estimation of scopoletin and mangiferin levels in four botanicals of Shankhpushpi and their marketed formulations.
Result: A simple analytical method was developed which proved to be very crucial in estimating concentrations of mangiferin and scopoletin in various test samples. This method can be used to identify the correct botanicals of Shankhpushpi present in any Ayurvedic formulation or raw material or processed powder by evaluating the content of scopoletin or mangiferin as markers.
Conclusion: The developed HPLC method is a quick and reliable method for the quantitative monitoring of mangiferin and scopoletin in herbal extracts and marketed formulations of Shankhpushpi.
Formulation, Characterization and Evaluation of Behavioral Effects of Suspension and Effervescent Granules of Evolvulus alsinoides Linn. and Convolvulus pluricaulis Choisy
