Pharmacology and Ethnopharmacology

The global acceptability of herbal drugs and traditional medicines are still challenged due to its complex nature and quality control analysis. Due to this the stability analysis of herbal drugs, botanicals, and traditional medicine is very complicated and needs proper attention in this field. However uses of bioactive markers for the analysis stability of these drugs are in common practice, which gives an insight and at least an answer to the complexity in analysis. Use of biologically active molecules for analysis of stability, shelf life and pharmacokinetics is very useful for understanding biology and mechanism of action of these traditionally used drugs as well as makes it easy. Triphala is a very common drug used in traditional ayurvedic and unani medicines for the treatment of various diseases and very frequently used in Indian system of medicine. It is composed of powder fruits of Emblica officinalis, Termenalia chebula and Termenalia bellerica in a uniform ratio. The phenolic antioxidants like Gallic Acid, Tannic Acid (Termenalia chebula, Termenalia bellerica) and Quercetin (Emblica officinalis) are common biomarkers present in these fruits. Hence in present investigation the stability of Triphala was established using Gallic acid, Tannic acid and Quercetin by expressing the samples at different temperatures and humidity as per the WHO guidelines at bench top and at accelerated stability conditions. The results of the study showed that constant of these markers as much affected in stored conditions.