Rediscovering Nano drug delivery systems in <em>Ayurvedic</em> lipid based formulations

Abstract

<em>Sneha kalpanas </em> (Medicated oleaginous preparations) are a group of <em>Ayurvedic</em> lipid based formulations in which <em>ghee</em> or oil is boiled with prescribed <em>kasayas</em> (polyherbal decoctions) and <em>kalkas</em> (a fine paste of botanicals) as stated in the <em>Ayurvedic</em> texts until all the water is evaporated. It is hypothesized that the polyherbal decoction contains only water soluble active ingredients that are dispersed in the form of submicron globules without the assistance of any additives and forms a monophasic oily liquid with absence of water. A model formulation <em>Gugglutiktaka Ghrita</em> was studied to understand the microarchitecture of this group of formulations. Photon correlation spectroscopy, Optical microscopy and Environmental scanning electron microscopy were used to examine the formulation for the presence of submicron sized particles and vesicular structures. The results showed that the formulation contained nanoparticles of the size 49.31±11.33 d.nm with PDI of 0.156 with 100 % peak intensity. The particle morphology showed that the active botanical ingredients may have been incorporated into the vesicular structures which in turn were dispersed in the oil phase. The ancient <em>Ayurvedic</em> system developed its own nanotechnology to deliver the water soluble ingredients across the biological barriers in a lipid base in the form of nanoparticles.