Abstract

ANALYSIS OF CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS OF ACHYRANTHES ASPERA THROUGH X-RAY DIFFRACTION

Awadhesh Kumar Pandey*, Pathak Meenakshi S.N., Prof.M.Sahu, Prof.Vakil Singh, Sudhakar

Abstract

Sushruta has mentioned kshar as a drug which has the property of sodhan(debridement),ropan(healing),pachan(digestive),vilyan(dissolvi ng), and lekhan (scrapping) Kshara has been defined as a material that possesses “Ksharana” and “Kshanana” property. In our ancient literature Sushruta Samhita have proved its above properties by means of destructing unhealthy slough, ensuring its removal and encouraging proper healing of the wound as well. Owing to this pharmacological property, it has been adopted in the management of fistula in ano, as one of the major ingredients of Kshara sutra. It is therefore essential to know about the chemical constituents of this Kshara. The Kshara was subjected to various chemical analyses from which an inference was obtained that it essentially contains the Carbonates, Chlorides, Sulphates and Nitrates. Flame photometry showed the presence of Sodium and Potassium. Hence a hypothesis was made that the constituents of the Kshara have most probably the carbonates, chlorides, sulphates and nitrates of the sodium, potassium and magnesium. X-ray diffraction offers one of the methods for the identification of various compounds/phases present in a sample. Hence in order to have knowledge of the constituents of Kshara, it was decided to undertake X-ray diffraction of the sample. X-ray diffraction was conducted in the Department of Metallurgical Engineering ,Indian Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, under the guidance of Prof. Vakil Singh, Department of Metallurgical engineering, IIT, BHU.

Keywords: Chemical constituents, Kshara, X-Ray Diffraction.