Standardization of Sharbat e Ghudal (Syrup of Hibiscus Flowers): A Nutritive Unani Medicinal Syrup

Abstract

Unani medicines are gaining increasing attention worldwide, due to their time-honoured practice and thier wealth of compound medicines that are effective in treating most ailments. Sharbat e Ghudal is nutritive syrup included in several Unani pharmacopeias. The pharmacological actions of this syrup are Mufarrih (Exhilarant), Muqawwi e qalb (Cardiotonic), Dafe Qafqan (regulates palpitation), and Muwallid e dam (hemopoietic). Standardization is essential for polyherbal formulations to ensure the quality of these drugs for global standards and to increase patient acceptance. The present study aims to standardize Sharbat e Ghudal using organoleptic, physicochemical, and phytochemical parameters. This was conducted according to WHO guidelines and other authentic scientific publications on the standardization of traditional syrups. The product was dark red in colour with the characteristic smell of hibiscus flowers. It has a sweet and sour taste. The pH, specific gravity, extractable matter, and Brix value were found to be 3.7±0.14, 1.34±0.16, 70.7±3.15 and 65.59 ± 0.45 respectively. The TLC fingerprint, tested with artificial colour standards, confirmed that no artificial colours were added to the syrup. Phytochemical screening revealed that the Sharbat was positive for cardiac glycosides, terpenoids flavonoids, tannins, phenols, and alkaloids. Steroids were not detected in the screening. A standard HPLC fingerprint for Sharbat e Ghudal was developed, showing seven major peaks at wavelengths of 254 nm. The outcomes of this research provide pharmaceutical standards for Sharbat e Gudhal. Further analysis of its phyto-chemicals constituents supports the validation of its pharmacological actions.