COMPARATIVE PHARMACOGNOSTICAL EVALUATION OF MARKET SAMPLE OF SITOPALADI CHURNA WITH IT'S REFERANCE STANDARD

Background: Sitopaladi Churna is one of the important herbal formulations of Ayurveda. It is thecombination of Sitopala (Sachharum officinarum Linn.), Vamsalochana (Bambusa arundinacea(Retz.) Willd.), Pippali (Piper longum L.), Ela (Elettaria cardamomum (L.) Maton) and Twak(Cinamonum verum J.S.Presl). To ensure the therapeutic efficacy and safety of herbal formulationsand to justify their use in healthcare, standardization of these formulations is a crucial and necessary.Material & Method: Powder microscopy of Sitopaladi Churna procured from the market ofVadodara, Gujarat, India was carried out at Pharmacognosy laboratory, Upgraded department ofDravyaguna Vijnan, Government ayurved college, Vadodara. Slides of Sitopaladi Churna wereprepared using the required reagent and observed under the microscope.Observation & Result: Powder microscopy of Sitopaladi Churna shows the presence of profoundStarch grains suggests that it contains Sitopala (Sachharum officinarum Linn.); presence of stonecells, starch grains, fragments of thin walled cells and multicellular trichomes suggests it containsPippali (Piper longum L.); presence of epidermal cells, schlerenchyma of testa, parenchymatous cellsof the perisperm prisms and red coloured schlerenchymatous cells suggests it contains Ela (Elettariacardamomum (L.) Maton), fibres, starch grains, sclereids, phloem parenchyma and vessel fragmentsshows presence of Twak (Cinamonum verum J.S.Presl) as its ingredients. But absence of oil globulessuggest that exhausted ingredients can be adulterated with it. Presence of siliceous crystals and rosettecrystals, suggests that it contains Vamsalochana (Bambusa arundinacea (Retz.) Willd.) but difficult todifferentiate with highly adulterated silica.Discussion and Conclusion: The microscopic features which were observed in the Sitopaladi Churnaprocured from the market revealed that it contains Sitopala (Sachharum officinarum Linn.), Pippali(Piper longum L.), Ela (Elettaria cardamomum (L.) Maton) and Twak (Cinamonum verum J.S.Presl)as its ingredient. Presence of siliceous crystals and rosette crystals, suggests that it containsVamsalochana (Bambusa arundinacea (Retz.) Willd.) but difficult to differentiate with highlyadulterated silica.