Physico-chemical and Phyto-chemical Standardization of a Potent Unani Cardiovascular drug Saad

Background: Standardization of a single potent Unani drug Saad Kufi is a must for maintaining and assessing the quality and safety as to attain the desired therapeutic effect. This will help prepare the ideal monograph which will serve in establishing its authenticity, quality, safety and reproducibility. Aim: The study aims to prepare the ideal monograph of the Saad Kufi ( Cyperus scariosus R.Br)which is an important cardiovascular drug. Methodology : Physicochemical and preliminary phytochemical analyses were carried out according to the guidelines given by WHO. Result : Saad Kufi powder was coarse, brown incolor, Agreeable smell, and Tasteless. Total ash, acid insoluble ash, water-soluble ash, loss in weight on drying, pH (1% and 10% solution) were found to be16.3±0.07, 8.616±0.20, 3.1±0.30, 8.5±0.173, 5.76±0.08 and 5.23±0.08 respectively. The crude fibre content was 46.43±0.19 The Phytochemical screening revealed the presence ofalkaloids, carbohydrates, proteins, phenols, sterols, glycosides, Cardiac glycosides, flavonoids, sterols/ terpenes and volatile oil. TLC studies of various extracts of drugs obtained in different solvent system have been conducted and Rf values of various spots in different solvent systems have been noted in day light, UV light and after treatment with iodine vapours. The Rf values in the given solvent are used to characterize the drugs identity and purity. Conclusion : The above findings could be considered for laying down pharmacopoeial standards. No data exhibits in this regard to compare with, thus our findings may be considered as standard for future references.


Introduction:Unani System of Medicine (USM)
is one of the oldest Traditional system of Medicine (TSM), based on the drugs originated from plants, animals and minerals. The efficacy and safety of these traditional drugs are closely related with their quality assurance. With the tremendous increase of medicinal plants around the globe, several concerns regarding the efficacy and safety of the herbal medicines have also been raised. From cultivation to production and storage of herbal medicine, chances of deterioration of drugs in term of quality is very common, ultimately decline of the efficacy. To overcome these problems standardization of Unani drugs in each tier is indispensable. For better therapeutic use, availability of genuine and authentic drugs is very important. Since efficacy of drugs mainly depends upon its physical and chemical properties, therefore determination of physicochemical parameters to ascertain the authenticity of drugs is necessary before subjecting it for pharmacological screening. Unani drug namely Saad Kufi (Cyperus scariosus R. BR) have high therapeutic value but there is less information available about its physicochemical properties to ascertain its identity, quality to check adulteration.
So, the present study was done to create a standardized physico-chemical and phyto-chemical profile for Saad Kufi (Cyperus scariosus R. BR.) on the basis of pharmacopeial guidelines for standardization of herbal drugs.
Saad Kufi (Cyperus scariosus R. BR.) belongs to the family Cyperacae. It is a hardy grass like perennial plant consisting of 600 species distributed in tropical and warm temperate region of the world. Cyperus is a greek word meaning sedge 1 . Medicinally the root of Cyperus scariosus R. Bris used for the same purpose as those of Cyperus rotundus 2,3 and this have long been in use in Hindu medicine and perfumery under the Sanskrit name Nagar mustaka 3 . Ibn Sina described Saad as a root of a plant which is nodular, long, slender and plant looks like a wheat plant 4,5,6 . Roots are thick, elongated, slender, and black in colour, aromatic smell with pungent taste 5,6 . Stem is of about one hand long and prostrate surrounded by small leaves and nodes 5 . Leafless or leafy shoots are produced above ground. Infloresence is umbel or head like. Spikelets are one to many flowered 1 and are linear straw coloured 7 . The Unani traditional actions (Af'al) or therapeuticuses (Iste'malateIlaji) ascribed to it are Exhilarant 6 , Cardiotonic 8 , antihypertensive 9 , Nervine Tonic 8, 10, 11, 12 Deobstruent 4, 5, 6 Astringent, Dessicant 13 Carminative 5, 8, 11 Appetizer 12, 14 , Anti-emetic 5, 11 , Aphrodisiac 6,14 . It strengthens the urinary bladder 5, 6 . It is use in the Palpitation 6, 10,

Material and method:
Collection and Identification: Roots of Saad Kufi (Cyperus scariosus R. Br) was procured from the local market of Aligarh (Baradwari) and identified in the Pharmacognosy Section, Department of Ilmul Advia, A. K. Tibbiya College, Aligarh Muslim University. They were also authenticated by National

Institute of Science Communication and Information
Resources, New Delhi (NISCAIR /RHMD/ Consult/ 2017/3064-13-1). The sample of the test drug was submitted to Mawalid-e-Salasa Museum of the Department after identification, for future reference with the voucher No. SC-0220/17. It was dried at optimum temperature and further crushed and sieved to coarse powder mechanically and stored in air tight container for study ( Figure-1a &b).

Organoleptic Parameters:
Organoleptic characters of test sample such as appearance, colour, smell and taste were observed.

Physico-Chemical Analysis:
Physico-chemical analysis include the determination of ash value, moisture content, pH value at 1% and 10% solution, solubility, bulk density, crude fibre content, solubility, extractive values in different organic solvent. These were carried out as per the guidelines of WHO and Govt. of India 15-18 . Rf Value = Distance travelled by the spot / Distance travelled by the solvent

Observations and Results
Organoleptic Characters: The powder of the dried herb of Saad Kufi (Cyperus scariosus) was dark brown with characteristic bitter odour and taste. Organoleptic and macroscopic characters were summarized in table-1 and 2.  Florescence Analysis Florescence analysis under UV light is sometime very characteristic for a drug. As many drugs and the constituents present in the drug emit specific colour when they are exposed to ultraviolet radiations because the radiant energy excites the solution which emits that particular colour known as fluorescence.

Tab. 1 Organoleptic Characters of Powdered
The fluorescence analysis of the powdered and successive extracts treated with different chemical reagents was done and change in the colour so appeared was observed and mentioned in the table 5(a, b).   Table 6 and figure 2.  It is not an easy task. Sometimes two or more plants are known by the same local name, whereas the same plant by two local names. While collecting the medicinal plants from the fields it is very possible that another plant is being collected and mixed with the genuine plant. To establish identity, the gross morphology will give definite information about drugs. Histology and microscopy is valuable both for powders and for unpowdered drugs. The identity of many adulterants of drugs can be established or confirmed by an examination of calcium oxalate crystals, details of trichomes, anomalous character visible in cross sections, stomatal characters and quantitative microscopy.
Physicochemical study is of prime importance in quality control of Unani drugs. As the efficacy of many drugs correlates with their physical and chemical properties. Therefore, the determination of physicochemical characters for the authenticity of a drug is necessary before studying its medicinal properties. It is also more important because it helps in characterization of constituents or group of constituents that frequently establish the structure activity relationship and the likely molecular mechanism of action of the drugs. For these purposes the following physicochemical parameters were performed. The extractive values are a parameter for detecting the adulteration in any drug. The amount of the extracts that a drug yields in a solvent is often an approximate measure of the amount of certain constituents that the drug contains. It serves as index of purity of the drugs. Percentage of solubility is considered as an index of purity. Ash determination furnishes the basis of judging the identity and purity of drug and gives information relating to its adulteration with inorganic matter 17 .pH value is also important parameters of standardization. It affects the stability, therapeutic activity and pharmaceutical elegance of medicinal agents in aqueous or hydrochloric preparation. The plants may be considered as biosynthetic laboratory for secondary metabolites which contribute to the therapeutic effects. Phytochemical constituents present in the drugs may vary, not only from plant to plant but also among different samples of same species. Some phytochemicals like alkaloids, quinones, terpenoids, flavonoids and tannins have property of precipitating proteins 24 . Their presence may help in identifying the phytochemicals responsible for therapeutic effect which will further establish scientific revalidation of drug being used in specific diseases.Many biological activities such asbactericidal, antiviral, cytotoxic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory have been attributed to the presenceof saponins 25 .
Thin layer chromatography is one of the important parameters used for detecting the identity, adulteration or for judging the quality of the drugs. Conclusion:In spite of the efficacy of Unaniand other traditional systems of medicine, they have been widely criticized due to lack of standardization and poor-quality presentation. Many of the medicinal plants available in the market have ambiguous identification along with adulteration and contamination. Therefore, standardization of Unani drugs is must for maintaining and assessing the quality and safety. The standard parameters used for Standardization of Saad Kufi (Cyperus scariosus) include organoleptic tests (colour, taste, odour, and appearance), preliminary phytochemical analysis, percentage of loss in weight on drying, ash value, acid insoluble ash, water soluble ash, pH value, moisture content, fluorescence analysis of powder drug and different extracts, TLC, which will help to prepare ideal monograph. These parameters will serve through in setting up its safety, authenticity, reliability, quality, and reproducibility and also these parameters will wide open its research areas like in vitro, in vivo and in silico for further reference and analysis in searching out for new drug targets as an ailment for human diseases. Endorsing the results of this study will stand in for setting up standards of Saad Kufi (Cyperus scariosus).