Phytochemical evaluation of the marketed drakshasava formulation by spectroscopic & chromatographic methods

Background: Drakshasava is a general health tonic, carminative and blood purifier. It is used in the treatment of anemia, digestive & cardiac disorders. A review of the literature suggested that modern analytical methods are not reported for the phytochemical evaluation of drakshasava. Objective: To report phytochemical evaluation of Drakshasava Formulation by Spectroscopic & Chromatographic Methods. Materials and methods: Total phenolic, flavonoid, sugar and reducing sugar content in marketed drakshasava formulations were estimated by a UV-Vis spectrophotometer. The markers and extract of drakshasava formulations I & II were scanned by FTIR spectrophotometer individually to find the common bands of the vibrational spectra of markers and formulations. The markers and extract of drakshasava formulations I & II were subjected to HPLC analysis. Results: UV-Vis spectrophotometer analysis revealed that total phenolic, flavonoid, total sugar, & total reducing sugar of marketed drakshasava formulations were within the limit of ayurvedic pharmacopeia. The gradient mobile phase solvent A (HPLC grade water containing 0.85% w/v ortho phosphoric acid) and solvent B (acetonitrile) were optimized by considering the resolution, peak shape, and symmetry. Conclusion: The evaluation parameters reported in this article could be used as a standard reference for quality management of marketed drakshasava formulations.