Drug Potentiation with subsequent Extraction of Biomarker: A Case Study of Brahmi Ghrita

Introduction - To treat various neurological and psychological disorders, Ayurveda propounds use of lipids. One of the widely used internal lipoid dosage form is medicated ghee. It binds to various phytochemicals, minerals and effectively crosses blood brain barrier to make efficient drug delivery. However it’s high dose, greasy nature, strong smell and taste lead to poor drug compliance. Present study was aimed at the potentiation of ghee using Bacopa monnieri Linn, and standardization using the biomarker Bacoside-A. Methods - Ghee procured from Indian Geer breed cow was processed using fresh Bacopa juice in three different proportions 1x, 5x and 10x; combined with three processing cycles single, five and ten respectively. For each repetition, Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) was strictly adhered to. Finished products were analyzed using HPTLC to calculate concentrations of Bacoside A. Results were compared. Results - SOP was established for potentiation of medicated ghee. Values for all the physicochemical parameters as per Ayurvedic Pharmacopeia of India were established for the samples. Concentration of Bacoside A increased as the processing cycles increased in 1x, 5x and 10x samples, but exact quantification of the marker in each sample is yet to be evaluated. Discussion & Conclusion - Method of potentiation using higher quantity of drug along with more processing cycles increases concentration of active biomarker in medicated ghee. Thus it opens the possibility of dose reduction and thereby it’s encapsulation to increase drug compliance.