PHARMACOGNOSTIC AND CHROMATOGRAPHIC PROFILING OF KHADIRA (ACACIA CATECHU (LINN.F.) WILLD)

Introduction: Khadira is an Ayurvedic plant drug extensively used in Ayurvedic formulations. The source plant of Khadira, Acacia catechu (Linn.f.) Willd, is a moderate sized tree commonly growing in dry climatic conditions. Its heartwood is used for preparing Ayurvedic medicines. Ascertaining the identity, genuineness and purity of herbal drugs has an important role in the maintenance of the quality of Ayurvdic formulations. Hence the present work is taken up with an objective to standardize the heartwood of Khadira with detailed pharmacognostical and preliminary phytochemical standards. Methods: Genuine heart wood of Acacia catechu (Linn.f.) Willd (Khadira) was collected from botanical garden of Government Ayurveda College, Poojappura, Thiruvananthapuram and shade dried. Macroscopic, physicochemical, chromatographic and heavy metal analysis was carried out as per ICMR procedures. Result: Heart wood is light red to brownish red in colour, hard and even textured. On physicochemical evaluation water soluble extractive value was 6.1 + 0.047 & alcohol soluble extractive value was 1.5 + 0.032. Heavy metals copper, cadmium, iron and lead level was found to be 0.1323+ 0.004, 0.1346 + 0.012, 7.888+ 0.061 & 0.0685 + 0.043 respectively. HPTLC was carried out with Toluene: Ethyl acetate: Formic acid as solvent system and 3 spots were obtained. Conclusion: The results obtained in this study may help in standardization, identification and further research in Acacia catechu (Linn.f.) Willd (Khadira).