PHARMACOGNOSTIC CHARACTERIZATION OF HARITAKI, AMALAKI, VIDANGA, TRIVRUTA AND HARIDRA BY ORGANOLEPTIC, MACROSCOPIC AND POWDER MICROSCOPIC STUDIES

Background: Dried Haritaki (Terminalia chebula Retz.) fruit, Dried Amalaki (Phyllanthus emblica L.) fruit, Dried Vidanga (Embelia ribes Burm.f.) fruit, Dried Trivruta (Operculina turpethum (L.) Silva Manso) root and Dried Haridra (Curcuma longa L.) rhizome; These drugs require reliable diagnostic characteristics for authentication and quality control for use in treatment of Dadru (dermatophytosis). This study comparatively evaluated their organoleptic, macroscopic, and powder-microscopic characteristics to identify key diagnostic features. Materials and Methods: Authenticated samples of Haritaki, Amalaki, Vidanga, Trivruta and Haridra were evaluated for their organoleptic, macroscopic and powder microscopic characteristics using standard pharmacognostical methods. Diagnostic features were documented by light microscopy and compared with pharmacopoeial references. Results: Pharmacognostical evaluation of Haritaki, Amalaki, Vidanga, Trivruta and Haridra confirmed their authenticity through organoleptic, macroscopic and powder microscopic examinations. Each drug exhibited distinct diagnostic features such as characteristic taste, odour, fracture, and microscopic markers including fibres, stone cells, starch grains, sclereids, vessels and oleoresin cells, consistent with pharmacopeial standards. Conclusion: The study established reproducible diagnostic parameters for the selected drugs, ensuring accurate identification and quality control. These findings provide baseline pharmacognostical data for quality assessment of the selected drugs intended for formulations used in Dadru (dermatophytosis).