A Pilot Study on Sodhana of Puga (Areca catechu Linn.)

The "Ayurveda" science of life was one of the most valuable gifts our predecessors gave us. It is the traditional healing system of India and has been passed down through countless generations without losing any of its unique lusters. Due to its efficiency, it is helping to improve human health in many degenerative and incurable chronic diseases. In Ayurveda classics, there is a description of many drugs, in which Puga (Areca catechu L.) is one. In the karma paribhasha chapter, Sharangadhara cited Puga as an example of the vikasi guna (fast-spreading property), due to this it was considered to be Visha samana (equal to poison). After reviewing the various Ayurveda lexicons, it was found that the vikasi guna, ojonashaka (immunity destroying) property was only visible in apakva-adrapuga (unmatured areca nut). According to Nighantu Bhavaprakasha Puga should be boiled in "Choughar" to do Sodhana (proceessing). The pharmacognostic characteristics, physicochemical, and preliminary phytochemical analyses of Asuddha (raw) and Suddha (processed) Puga (areca nut) were performed in the current study. The rasa of suddha Puga was found to be mild Madhura (sweet) and Kasaya (astringent) rasa, and it has a higher alcoholic extraction value than Asuddha Puga (raw areca nut). The phytochemical evaluation shows the difference between Suddha (processed) and Asuddha (raw) Puga (areca nut).