PHARMACOGNOSTIC EVALUATION OF INGREDIENTS OF DARBHAMOOLADI LEPA: A COMPREHENSIVE AUTHENTICATION STUDY

Darbhamooladi Lepa is a classical Ayurvedic facial formulation described in the Gandushadi Vidhi Adhyaya of Ashtanga Hridaya Sutrasthana, recommended during Vasanta Ritu (spring season) for Mukhaprasadana (facial rejuvenation) by improving complexion and skin texture. Ensuring the authenticity of its herbal ingredients through Pharmacognostic evaluation is crucial for maintaining quality, safety, and therapeutic efficacy. The present study aimed to establish the Pharmacognostic profile of the six botanical ingredients of Darbhamooladi Lepa through macroscopic and microscopic evaluation for authentication and quality control. Six raw drugs—Darbhamoola [root of Imperata cylindrica (L.) Raeusch.], Hima [heartwood of Santalum album L.], Ushira [root of Chrysopogon zizanioides (L.) Roberty], Sirisha [bark of Albizia lebbeck (L.) Benth.], Misi [fruit of Foeniculum vulgare Mill.], and Tandula [fruit of Oryza sativa L.]—were analyzed at the Pharmacognosy Unit, Ayurveda Research Institute, Poojappura, Thiruvananthapuram. Microscopic examination of histological sections stained with safranin and observed under a digital microscope revealed distinctive diagnostic features, including an aerenchymatous cortex with silica deposits in Imperata cylindrica, uniseriate and biseriate medullary rays with golden-yellow contents in Santalum album, polyarch exarch xylem in Chrysopogon zizanioides, and abundant prismatic crystals and stone cells in Albizia lebbeck, while macroscopic evaluation demonstrated characteristic features in the fruits of Foeniculum vulgare and Oryza sativa. The study establishes Pharmacognostic reference standards for authentication and quality control of Darbhamooladi Lepa ingredients, supporting their use in pharmaceutical manufacturing and research.