Development of a Validated HPTLC Method for the Simultaneous Estimation of Curcumin and Berberine in Dashamoola Kvatha

Abstract

Background: Many people use herbal remedies like Dashamoola Kvatha (a traditional Ayurvedic decoction made from ten medicinal roots) because they help with pain and inflammation ^[18]. It is hard to standardize these kinds of multi-ingredient formulations because there aren't any quality control methods for active phytoconstituents ^[16]. Curcumin, derived from Curcuma longa, and berberine, sourced from Berberis aristata, are bioactive compounds recognized for their anti-inflammatory properties and are believed to enhance the therapeutic effects of Dashamoola. Objectives: The current study sought to establish and validate a straightforward, precise, and accurate High-Performance Thin-Layer Chromatography (HPTLC) technique for the concurrent quantification of curcumin and berberine in Dashamoola Kvatha. Materials and Methods: Using silica gel 60F₂₅₄ plates and n-propanol:water:glacial acetic acid (8:1:1, v/v) as the mobile phase, an HPTLC-densitometric method was improved. At 358 nm (an isoabsorptive wavelength), both curcumin and berberine were found at the same time. The method was confirmed to be in line with ICH Q2 (R1) standards for specificity, linearity, precision, accuracy, robustness, limit of detection (LOD), and limit of quantification (LOQ). Results: Clear peaks for berberine (R_f ≈ 0.33) and curcumin (R_f ≈ 0.77) were found. There were linear relationships (r^2 > 0.99) in the calibration plots for berberine in the range of 200–600 ng/spot and for curcumin in the range of 400–1200 ng/spot. The LODs were about 58 ng/spot for berberine and about 171 ng/spot for curcumin. The method's accuracy (mean recoveries of about 99–101%) and precision (%RSD < 2%) were both acceptable. In conclusion: The HPTLC method that was created is quick, cheap, and dependable for measuring curcumin and berberine in Dashamoola Kvatha at the same time. You can use it for regular quality control of this polyherbal decoction to make sure that each batch is the same and works.