Assessment of Quality of "Dhanyamla": A Fermented Cereal Used in Ayurveda

Aim: Dhanyamla is a medicinal preparation having great therapeutic values which is described under the Sandhana Kalpana in Ayurveda texts. In the present study, an attempt was made to assess the quality of Dhanyamla by using standard protocols. Methodology: Quality of the Dhanyamla was assessed by determination of pH, specific gravity, microbial counts, phytochemical screening and TLC-densitogram fingerprints. Results: Specific gravity and the pH of Dhanyamla was 1.0068 and 4.13 at 30 degrees C respectively. Pathogenic microorganisms such as Coliforms, Escherichia coli and Salmonella were not found in Dhanyamla. However, aerobic and mesophilic organisms and few counts of Staphylococcus aureus were present. Phytochemical screening studies revealed the presence of tannins, flavonoids and saponins in the sample. TLC-densitogram fingerprint of Dhanyamla was comparable to the TLC-densitogram fingerprint of its standard mixture of raw materials. Conclusion: Present study reveals the quality of Dhanyamla for the first time and observed parameters can be used as reference standard for quality control protocols in order to have a proper quality check over its preparation and processing.