Deepa Kumari Gupta1, Devesh Kumar1, Prince Kumar Pal2, Dev Nath Singh Gautam3, Narendra Kumar Singh1*
1Pharmacy Ayurveda Research Laboratory, Rajiv Gandhi South Campus, Banaras Hindu University, Barkachha, Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh-231001, India
2Regional Ayurveda Research Institute for Skin Disorders (Under CCRAS, Ministry of Ayush, Govt. of India), Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh-520015, India
3Department of Rasa Shastra, Faculty of Ayurveda, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221005, India
*Address for correspondence
Dr. Narendra Kumar Singh
Pharmacy Ayurveda Research Laboratory,
Rajiv Gandhi South Campus, Banaras Hindu University,
Barkachha, Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh-231001 India
Abstract
Background: Datura metel Linn. is an important Ayurvedic medicinal plant used for the treatment of inflammation, respiratory decongestion, skin infection, dental problems, stimulation of central nervous system and alopecia. Since Datura is toxic at therapeutic dose, hence its toxicity must be removed before subjecting to medicinal purposes. Objective: In the present study seeds of Datura detoxified by Ayurvedic process (Sodhana). Attempt has been made to identify the chemical constituents responsible for the toxicity by measuring the level of major chemical constituents before and after the detoxification of seeds. Materials and Methods: In the present study, seeds of Datura were detoxified by two different Ayurvedic process using Cow’s milk and Cow’s urine. Levels of atropine and hyoscine before and after the purification of seeds were determined by HPLC analysis. Results: The quantity of hyoscine and atropine in unpurified sample was found to be 0.109 % & 0.197 % of dried weight of Datura seeds. The quantity of hyoscine and atropine in dried seeds of Datura was found to be 0.012 % & 0.043 % and 0.004 % & 0.022 % purified with Cow’s milk (Method–2) and in both Cow’s milk and cow’s urine (Method –1) respectively. Conclusion: It may be concluded that toxic effect of Datura seeds are due to the presence of atropine and hyoscine along with other tropane alkaloids. When Datura seeds are subjected Sodhana with Cow’s milk and/or Cow’s urine, the level of tropane alkaloids decreases and therefore toxicity also decreases in the same proportion.
Keywords: Atropine, Datura metel, HPLC, Hyoscine, Sodhana
