COMPARATIVE HPTLC FINGERPRINTING OF AYURVEDIC MEDICINAL DRUGS: PUSHKARMULA, PALASHA

Abstract

Background:Ayurvedic medicinal drugs need analytical methods to confirm their identity, check their quality, and ensure standardization. This is important because these drugs contain mixtures of plant-based chemicals. These chemicals can create patterns when analysed, which are called chromatographic profiles. Performance thin-layer chromatography, or HPTLC, is a powerful method for creating these fingerprint patterns. It helps in identifying the chemical signature of each drug. This technique is especially useful for medicines because of their complex composition. HPTLC provides an accurate way to compare different samples and verify their authenticity. Objective: The present study aimed to comparatively evaluate the HPTLC fingerprint profiles of two Ayurvedic medicinal drugs, Pushkarmula and Palasha, with emphasis on their chromatographic characteristics and differentiation. Methodology: Methanolic extracts of Pushkarmula and Palasha were analysed by HPTLC on silica gel 60 F₂₅₄ plates. Chromatographic development was carried out using toluene: ethyl acetate: methanol: formic acid (7:3:3:0.2, v/v/v/v) as the mobile phase. Samples were applied at 5 and 10 µL, and chromatographic profiles were evaluated by densitometric scanning at 254 nm and 366 nm. The number of peaks, Rf values, and percentage peak areas were recorded for comparative fingerprint analysis. Results: Distinct HPTLC fingerprint patterns were obtained for Pushkarmula and Palasha at both detection wavelengths. At 254 nm, Pushkarmula showed 6 peaks at 5 µL and 5 peaks at 10 µL, whereas Palasha showed 8 and 7 peaks, respectively. Characteristic differences in Rf values and peak-area distribution were observed between the two drugs. Pushkarmula exhibited a prominent peak at Rf 0.583 (55.76% area) at 5 µL, while Palasha showed prominent responses around Rf 0.633 (31.48%) at 5 µL. Conclusion: The study demonstrates that HPTLC fingerprinting provides distinguishable chromatographic profiles for Pushkarmula and Palasha. The observed fingerprint characteristics may serve as useful analytical parameters for their identification, differentiation, and quality assessment.