Pharmacognostical, Phytochemical and Anti-Microbial Activity of An Ayurvedic Formulation Nishakatakadi Kashayam

The objective of the present study was to develop quality parameters to evaluate and standardize the polyherbal formulation and also to study the eight crude drugs viz. Curcuma longa - rhizome (Manjal), Salacia oblonga- root bark (Ekanayakam), Emblica officinalis- pericarp (Nellika), Strychnos potatorum - seed (Thettanparal), Ixora coccinea - root (Chethi), Vettiveria zizanioides - root (Ramacham), Aerva lanata - root (Cherula) and Symplocos racemosa - bark (Pachotti).The studies included physic-chemical parameters, HPTLC studies, heavy metal analysis and standardization of formulation using chemical markers. Antimicrobial activity of different fractions of kashayam was studied and found to be highest for ethanolic extract of kashayam. The pharmacognostical studies include microscopical, macroscopical examinations, ash values and extractive values, mineral elemental analysis, fluorescence analysis and FTIR analysis.