Abstract

PHYTOCHEMICAL STANDARDIZATION OF ECLIPTA ALBA (L) HASSK : AN AYURVEDIC DRUG

*Manoj Kumar Pandey¹, G.N.Singh¹, Rajeev Kr Sharma² and Sneh Lata³

¹Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission, Ghaziabad, India.
²Pharmacopoeia Laboratory of Indian Medicine, Ghaziabad,India.
³M.M.H. College Ghaziabad, India.

ABSTRACT

Eclipta alba popularly known as “King of hairs” used in indigenous system of medicine as a hepatoprotective drug. It is small branched annual herbaceous plant with a long history of traditional medicines uses in many countries especially in tropical and subtropical regions. The herb has been known for its curative properties and has been utilized as antimytotoxic, analgesic, antibacterial, antihepatotoxic, antihaemorrhagic, antihyperglycemic, antioxidant, immunomodulatory properties and it is considered as a good rejuvenator too. A wide range of chemical compounds including coumestans, alkaloids, thiopenes, flavonoids, polyacetylenes, triterpenes and their glycosides have been isolated from this species. Extracts and metabolites from this plant have been known to possess pharmacological properties. In the present investigation, pharmacognostical, physicochemical characteristics, thin layer chromatography, and HPLC studies of Eclipta alba were studied. In order to ensure the use of only genuine and uniform material of such herbal remedies, work on standardization assumes vital significance.Preliminary phytochemical analysis showed that alkaloids, flavonoids, glaycosides,, saponins, steroids, tannins, were present. The results of the pharmacognostical studies, features of powdered drug include response to U.V. Light exposure, some physicochemical constants, results of TLC, and chromatogram of HPLC, would serve as standard reference for identifications of Eclipta alba.

Keywords: Eclipta alba Hepatoprotective, fluorescence characters, colour reactions, TLC, HPLC.