The standardization of ghritas such as amritaprasa ghrita, brahmi ghrita, chagalyadi ghrita and phala ghrita has been studied. These ghritas are the important Ayurvedic formulations used for peri-natal care of mother and child health. Standardization of ghritas were achieved by organoleptic study, physico-chemical analysis, qualitative analysis, thin layer chromatography (TLC), UV - visible spectrophotometry and high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) fingerprint studies. Qualitative analysis of alcoholic extracts of all the four ghritas shows the presence of glycosides and hexane extracts shows the presence of glycosides and steroids. TLC study of ghritas was carried out in toulene-ethyl acetate solvent system. Hexane extracts of ghritas were used for UV- visible spectrophotometry and qualitative HPLC fingerprint study.

The present paper deals with the physicochemical and phytochemical examination of seventy-six medicinal plants belonging to thirty-six dicot and six monocot families. These are used in indigenous system of medicine as well as local inhabitants either as single drugs or in combination, for the cure of various ailments. In physicochemical study, the parameters such as moisture content,pH (1% aqueous), total ash, acid insoluble ash, water-soluble extractive and alcohol soluble extractive were carried out. The preliminary phytochemical study was done for the detection of secondary metabolites such as alkaloid, flavonoid, glycoside, phenol, saponin, resin, steroid and tannin. The preliminary phytochemical study revealed the presence of alkaloid and saponin in 68.4%; flavonoid in 44.7%; glycoside, phenol and steroid in 72.37%; resin in 60.5% and tannin in 71% of selected medicinal plants.