Ayurveda, the oldest paradigm of health and healing known to the world, grew out of the Rishi tradition. The medical and research community is constantly seeking for new natural agents. Sphaeranthus indicus Linn. (Gorakhmundi, Family: Asteraceae), is widely used in Ayurvedic system of medicine to treat various diseases. The present investigation was designed to perform physicochemical and phytochemical analysis with HPTLC fingerprints of Sphaeranthus indicus (leave, flower, and stem) to establish the standard parameters of this herb. Different analytical parameters like extractive values, total ash, acid insoluble ash and water-soluble ash, moisture content, pH values of different parts of the drug were performed. Preliminary phytochemical screening was done to detect and quantify different active constituents such as alkaloids, flavanoids, proteins and total poly phenol using various analytical methods. Our preliminary data of phytochemical screening of the extracts revealed the presence of steroids, carbohydrates, proteins, terpenoid, flavonoid, tannins, alkaloids, resin and saponin. In the current study we established the HPTLC fingerprint of the extract using phytochemical standards. We believe that our study provides a substantial data for identification, purification, standardization, and phytochemical characterization of novel therapeutic compounds that can be used potential drug to combat various diseases for betterment of mankind.
Keywords: Sphaeranthus indicus, Ayurveda, physicochemical, UV- Spectrophotometer, HPTLC
