Standardization and quality control of Kutajastaka Kvatha Ghana Vati: An Ayurvedic formulation

Quality assurance of herbal medicine is an important factor and basic requirement for herbal drug industry and other drug development organizations. Kutajastaka Kvatha Ghana Vati is one of the ancient, most commonly used Ayurvedic formulations which are made in combination of nine plant ingredients. Ayurvedic literature reveals that the formulation was used for the treatment of Daha (burning sensation), Raktatisara (Diarrhoea with blood), Sula (pain), Amadosa (products of impaired digestion and metabolism) and Sarvatisara (all types of diarrhoea). Due to the lack of quality standards, there are batch to batch variations. The present study was thus undertaken to develop standards for the quality control of the Vati. All the ingredients were procured locally; identified by a taxonomist and an Ayurvedacharya; Vati was prepared in laboratory scale using GMP; and analyzed as per standard methods. All the samples were subjected to physico-chemical analysis, HPTLC finger printing, heavy metals analysis, and microbial load. The data obtained can be adopted for laying down the pharmacopoeial standards for Kutajastaka Kvatha Ghana Vati.