Adulteration and deterioration of herbal drugs
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Adulteration and deterioration of herbal drugs
INTRODUCTION
The adulteration and substitution of herbal drugs is the major problem causing treat to the herbal drug
industry and to the research on commercial natural products.The term adulteration of an article covers a
number of conditions which may be intentional or accidental. The crude drugs are substituted with the
inferior commercial varieties and are use as adultrant which may or may not have any thereupatic potential
as that of original drug.5 The concept of substitution prevailed ages back and in Ayurveda we can find this in
the treatise of Bhavaprakasha and Yogaratnakara.tere is a need to analyse these concepts with the present
trend of adulteration and substituton so that we can adopt the proper.
Need for Substitution5, 2, 3
Non-availability of the drug.
Eg: - Substitution for Ashtavarga Dravyas.
Uncertain identity of the drug .
Eg: - for the herb Lakshmana different species such as Arlia quinquefolia, Ipomea sepiaria etc are considered
Cost of the drug.
Eg: - Kumkuma being costly herb is substituted by Kusumbha
Geographical distribution of the drug :-
Eg :- As Rasna Plucia lanceolata is used in Northern India while in southeren parts Alpinia galanga is
considered as the source.
The adverse reaction of the drug
Eg :- Vasa is a well known Rakta-Pittahara drug, but due to its Abortificiant activity its utility in pregnant
women is limited, instead drugs such as Laksha , Ashoka etc are substituted.
Criteria for Substitution
Kadaachit dravyamekamvaa yoge yatra nalabhyate |
Tat tadgunayutam dravyam parivartena grihyate || (Oushada vignana)
A drug to be considered as a substitute should fulfill the following criteria –
Similarity in Rasa-panchakas.
Eg :- Bharangi and Kantakari.
Exhibit similar therapeutic effects.
Eg :- Ativisha and Musta.
In a formulation the pradhana Dravya I,e,. the Major ingredient should never be substituted.
Eg: - while preparing Bharangyaadi Guda Should not Substitute Bharangi with any other drug.
Yoge yadapradhaanam syattasya pratinidhirmataha |
Yattu pradhanam tasyaapi sadrusham niva grihyate || (Bhava prakasha.16.167)4.
Substitution with Totally Different Drug
Here we can consider two types of Gokshura.-Tribulus terrestris(zygophylaceae) and
Pedalium murEg (Pedaliaceae) T.terrestris has the chemical constituents like Chlorogenin, Diosgenin, Rutin,
Rhamnose, and Alkaloid.While P.murex has Sitosterol, Ursolic acid, Vanilin, Flavonoids and Alkaloids.
5, 3, 1
Here we can consider Bharangi (Clerodendron indicum) and Kantakari. Bharangi has tikta rasa and
Laghu ,ruksha guna and has Kapha and vatahara property. While Kantakari(Solanum xanthocarpam) has
katu vipaka and ushna virya. It has Glycosides – Verbascoside and Solasoninie, solamargin, solasurine
respectively. Both C. indicum and S. xanthocarpam have shown Anti-hisaminic activity. Both C. indicum
and S. xanthocarpam are commonly employed in the diseases related to the respiratory system, which are
commonly associated with release of Histamines and other Autacoids.