Development and Standardization of a New Ayurvedic Formulation from Barringtonia acutangula leaf

Abstract

Barringtonia acutangula (L) Gaertn. (Lecythidaceae) commonly known as freshwater mangrove and mango-pine in English, Hijal in Bengali, is a large evergreen mangrove tree grown in the coastal wetlands of Northern Australia and South-East Asian countries including India. This plant has traditionally been used in India for several important medicinal purposes. In the present study, the dried and powdered leaf of B. acutangula was extracted by hot water and a new oral liquid Ayurvedic formulation was developed from that decoction (kwatha) and preserved for subsequent standardization. Its organoleptic properties like description, colour, odour, taste were noted. Then different physico-chemical parameters of this product like specific gravity, pH, viscosity, solubility, total solids content, ash values, preliminary phytochemical analysis, thin layer chromatographic (TLC) profile, microbial and heavy metal contaminants were determined as per the protocols prescribed in the Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India. These salient pharmacopoeial quality standardization parameters may be useful for ascertaining the quality, purity and stability of this newly developed Ayurvedic oral formulation from B. acutangula leaf for further compliance.