Preliminary Phytochemical screening of selected Siddha Herbal medicines. Thomas M.Walter* Pauline Vincent,C**
Abstract:
Siddha and Ayurveda are the two major Traditional Indian systems of Medicine. Siddha is widely practiced in the Tamil speaking areas of South India. Five frequently prescribed Siddha medicines (base powders – Chooranams) of herbal origin were selected and subjected to preliminary phytochemical screening.
Steroids, reducing
sugars, sugars, alkaloids, saponins, tannins, anthroquinones and amino acids were tested qualitatively in the selected medicines. All the five medicines showed the presence of Tannins. Anthroquinones and steroids are not observed in any of the herbal medicines examined. Since the study was conducted in a controlled and authenticated manner, the phytochemical results can be used for the standardization of the above said medicines.
*
Asst. Lecturer, P.G. Department of Gunapadam (Pharmacology), Govt. Siddha Medical College Hospital, Palayakottai, Tamilnadu, India.
[email protected] **
Ph.D scholar, Center of Bio diversity and Bio technology, St. Xavier’s College, Palayamkottai, Tamilnadu, India.
[email protected]
Introduction:
Among the Traditional Indian Systems of Medicine, Siddha is widely practiced in the Tamil speaking areas of South India. Siddha which is largely therapeutic in nature has a rich heritage and history. The word ‘Siddha’ means ‘Perfection’ and those who attained perfection were known as ‘Siddhars’, the pioneers of the system.
The Siddhars were great scientists in anc ient times. The Siddha was flouriest in south and Ayurveda prevalent in the north. According to tradition, the origin of Siddha system of medicine is attributed to the great Siddha Agastiyar. Some of his works are still standard books of medicine and surgery in daily use among the Siddha Medical practitioners and Traditional healers.
Siddha Materia Medica: The resources of Siddha Materia Medica are classified into three major divisions namely Herbal, Metals & Mineral and Animal kingdoms.
According to Siddha
literatures, there are 64 dosage forms of which 32 are meant for Oral (enteral) route and 32 for parentral and external (including topical) applications. Siddha prescriptions usually consist of: ?? Base (fine powder – chooranam of herbal origin), ?? Pills (mathirai of herbal and herbo- mineral origin), ?? Calx (parpam and chenthooram - oxidixed and reduced form of purified Metals and minerals), ?? Decoctions (infusions – Kudineer usually of herbal origin) ?? Medicated oil (Thylam, Ennai – for external/Topical application)
Materials and Methods: There is a very clear note in the Ancient Siddha literatures that the patient should be first treated with herbal products only (Kudineer, Chooranam, pills etc) and if the desired effect is not attained, then only metals, minerals and animal products should be used. In accordance to this, five frequently prescribed Siddha medicines (base powders – Chooranams) of herbal origin were selected and subjected to preliminary phytochemical screening. The selected medicines are:
1. Thirikadugu Chooranam, (T.K) 2. Panchakalpa Chooranam, (P.K) 3. Thalisathi Vadaga Chooranam, (T.S.V) 4. Nindrar Churingi Chooranam (N.C) and 5. Vembu, Nilavembu Chooranam. (V.N.V)
These medicines have literary evidence and are in regular therapeutic use in Siddha practice. The major ingredients, dosage, vehicle, therapeutic properties and literary evidence of the selected drugs are mentioned in Table no: 2. In order to conduct authenticated screening, market samples of all the five medicines were avoided and they were prepared in the Gunapadam (Materia Medica) lab of Govt. Siddha Medical College (for Traditional Indian Medicine), Palayamkottai, T.N., India.
The ingredients were collected from the Raw Drug Store (R.D.S) of the Pharmacy, attached to Govt. Siddha Medical College (G.S.M.C), Palayamkottai.
After
authentication from the Professor and Head of the P.G. Department of Materia Medica, G.S.M.C, they were subjected to purification methods as found in the Traditional Siddha literatures. The medicines were prepared and subjected to phytochemical screening by authors themselves.
The phytochemical screening was done at the Center of Bio-
diversity and Bio-technology, St. Xavier’s College (XCH), Palayamkottai, Tamilnadu.
Since the common vehicle for all Chooranams are water, the same was used as solvent for all the five medicines. These extracts were concentrated and used for preliminary phytochemical screening following the procedure given by Brindha et al. (1981).
Results and Discussion:
In the present investigation, preliminary phytochemical screening has been done in distilled water extract for the presence of phytochemical constituents namely Steroids, Reducing sugars, Sugars, Alkaloids, Saponins, Tannins, Anthroquinones and Amino acids.
The presence of Tannins is found in all the five medicines.
Absence of
Anthroquinones and Steroids in all the selected medicines is also observed.
Conclusion:
Out of the five Siddha drugs screened for Phytochemical properties, Pancha Kalpa Chooranam (P.K.), a drug used in Traditional Indian systems of Medicine to treat constipation, urinary tract infection and hypertension, is found to have the highest number of phytochemicals (except Steroids and Anthroquinones). Since the study was conducted in a controlled manner, the phytochemical results can be used for the standardization of the above mentioned drugs.
This is only a preliminary screening and more research has to be undertaken to explore the wonderful therapeutic properties of these medicines.
Table: 1. Phytochemical Screening of Selected Traditional Indian Herbal Medicines Serial
Phyto-
T.K.
P.K.
T.S.V.
N.C.
V.N.V.
No:
Chemical
1
Steroids
-
-
-
-
-
2
Reducing
-
+
-
+
-
Chooranam Chooranam Chooranam Chooranam Chooranam
Sugars 3
Sugars
+
+
+
-
-
4
Alkaloids
+
+
+
-
-
5
Saponins
+
+
+
-
-
6
Tannins
+
+
+
+
+
7
Anthroquinones
-
-
-
-
-
8
Amino acids.
-
+
-
-
+
Abbreviations:
+
Absent Present
1. Thirikadugu Chooranam, (T.K) 2. Panchakalpa Chooranam, (P.K) 3. Thalisathi Vadaga Chooranam, (T.S.V) 4. Nindrar Churingi Chooranam (N.C) and 5. Vembu, Nilavembu Chooranam. (V.N.V)
Table: 2. Information regarding the screened Indian Herbal Medicines. Serial
Name of the
Major
Dosage &
No
Medicine
Ingredients
Vehicle
1
T.K. Chooranam
Indications
Literary evidence
Zingiber
1 to 2
Flatulence,
The Siddha
officinalis,
grams
Indigestion.
Formulary of
Piper nigrum,
Honey.
India, Part I.
Piper longum. 2
P.K. Chooranam
3
T.S.V. Chooranam
Three
1 gram
Constipation,
T.V.
Myrobalans,
Hot water.
Urinary tract
Sambasivam
Curcuma longa,
infections,
Pillai Agarathi.
Santalum album.
Hypertension.
Taxus buccatta, Piper nigrum,
1 to 2
Cough,
Siddha
grams
Peptic ulcer,
Vaithiya
Water
Dysentry,
Thirattu. Page
Vomiting,
No: 230
Piper longum, Zingiber officinalis, Elatoria
fever,dysuria
cardamomum. 4
N.C.
Biophytum
1 gram
Chooranam
sensitivum.
Water.
Anti-dote,
Siddha Materia
Philter (for
Medica
Mesmerizing
(Vegetable),
or
Page no: 463
hypnotizing) 5
Vembu + Nilavembu Chooranam
Azadirachta
Up to 1
indica,
gram with
Andrographis paniculata.
water.
Fever, Body
Siddha Materia
pain,
Medica
Jaundice,
(Vegetable
Night
division),
blindness.
Page no: 461
Reference:
1. Formulary (1992) - The Siddha Formulary of India, Part I, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, New Delhi. 2. Formulary (1972) - Formulary of Siddha medicines, published by the Indian Medical Practitioners' Cooperative Pharmacy and Stores Ltd., Adyar, Madras; ed. 1989. 3. Formulary (1994) - Vaidya Yoga Ratnavali (Formulary of Ayurvedic medicines), IMPCOPS, Madras. 4. T.V. Sambasivam Pillai, Tamil-English Dictionary of Medicine, Chemistry, Botany and Allied Sciences, Volume V, publisher: The Research Institute of Siddhar’s Science, Mount Road, Madras, India. 1931. 5. Dr. Murugesa Muthaliar, Siddha Materia Medica (Vegetable section), Volume I, Fourth edition 1988, Publisher; Tamilnadu Siddha Medical Council, Chennai. 6. Kuppusamy Muthaliar, Uthamarayan, Siddha vaithiya thirattu, 1998, Publisher: Directorate of Indian Medicine and Homeopathy, Chennai, India. 7. Dr. K.M. Nadkarani, Indian Materia Medica Vol: 1 Publisher: Popular Prakash, Mumbai, India. 8. The Wealth of India Vol 1- 12, Publisher Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (C.S.I.R), New Delhi, India.
