CRITICAL APPRAISAL OF DHATTURA (DATURA METEL LINN.) IN AYURVEDIC FORMULATIONS

Abstract

Pharmaceutical and therapeutic approach towards the treatment of any disease requires the skill of
manipulation of resources according to the nature of the sickness. Physicians use several formulations, which
may include Herbal, Mineral, or Animal raw materials, to treat ailments. They may also include some
poisonous substances which require stringent purification before administration. The consumption of
inadequately and improperly purified substances may produce undesired results in the patient. A good number
of materials, although poisonous are used as raw materials in Ayurveda medicines because of their therapeutic
efficacy. Dhattura is one such drug which is an ingredient in many formulations that have multiple therapeutic
applications. This work exposes the result of an extensive literature-search that helps not only to find out the
various medical formulations of Dhattura with indications, but also to estimate the percentage of Dhattura in
different preparations. From the study it was found that more than 552 formulations contain various parts of
Dhattura as one of the ingredient. 298 formulations contain Dhattura seed as one of the ingredients. In those
174 formulations which are in solid dosage form was taken for the study. No formulations among these
contained Dhattura in a percentage more than 50%. The permitted dose of Dhattura bija is 62.5-125mg for
internal administration. It is pertinent to note that the consumption of Dhattura in all the combinations is within
its permitted dose for single drug use, while calculating the percentage of Dhattura in formulation.