Comparative analytical study on effect of Bhavana on Karavellaka Churna (Momordica charantia Linn.) and Bhavita Karavellaka Churna

Abstract

Bhavana is an Ayurveda process of triturating a powdered drug with herbal juices or decoction. In classical texts this procedure is narrated to have potential to change or initiate positive therapeutic properties in a formulation. Ayurveda literature also shows that if Bhavana of drug juice is given to the powder of same drug then the final product will have few fold more activities than simple powder form of that drug. Present work was undertaken to study this concept on analytical ground as analysis provides basic understanding of changes in chemical composition which is actually related with therapeutic activities. Karavellaka (Momordica charantia Linn.) was chosen as drug for this work as it is well known drug for hyperglycemia. Powder of M. Charantia was made in 6 batches each of 1 kg. Three batches were kept in powder form (Karavellaka Churna, KC) and remaining three batches were given Bhavana of M. Charantia juice (Bhavita Karavellaka Churna, BKC). Physico-chemical analysis along with nutrition value was done to access the proportion of change. All studied parameters showed higher range of values in BKC than KC. Similar result is observed in nutritional value analysis. All these results conclude that Bhavana has synergistic action in increasing concentration of chemical constitutes of the drug. The increase in concentration may reduce the therapeutic dose.