Gutika
Content
• Definition of Gutika
• Method of preparation of Gutika
• Characteristics of Gutika
• Standardization of Gutika
Objective
At the end of this lecture, student will be able to
• Define gutika
• Explain the method of preparation of Gutika
Gutika
Gutika or pill is defined as the medicine prepared in the form of tablets or pills.
These are made up of one or more drugs of plant and mineral origin
Composition:
Ø Plant, mineral drugs
Ø Suganda dravya
Ø Jaggery/ sugar
Method of preparation:
Ø Herbal drugs are dried and powdered separately
Ø In case of minerals drugs made in to bhasmas
Ø if the formula contains gandhaka, then kijjali is prepared first and later remaining drugs are added one by one according to the formula
Ø Drugs are made into paste in kalva with prescribed liquids, in case more than one liquid add in succession
Ø Sugandha dravyas like kasturi, karpura are added when tha mass attains the suitable state for molding into pills, then it is ground again
Ø Final stage is the one where the mass is non sticky to the fingers when rolled and punch the tablets
Ø Finally the pills are dried in shade or sun
Ø If sugar/Jaggery is prescribed, paka is prepared on mild fire, powdered drugs are added to this paka and mixed briskly
Characters:
Ø Should not loose colour, taste, odour and form
Storage:
Pills of plant origin in air tight containers can be used for 2-3 years
Those of mineral origin can be used indefinately
Pills with salt /Ksara should be kept away from moisture
| Example | Use |
| Astakshari Gutika | Athisara |
| Bilvadi Gutika | Jvara, Ajeerna |
| Lavangodi Gutika | Cough |
Standardization of Gutika
Determination of
Ø Uniformity of weight
Ø Hardness
Ø Disintegration time
Ø Ash value
Ø Moisture content
Uniformity of weight:
Ø Twenty pills are selected randomly and weighed individually
Ø Average weight of each pill is determined
Ø Highest wt, lowest wt and average wt of each group of pills are calculated
Hardness:
Ø Place a pill in a hardness tester and rotate the knob to fix the pill in it
Ø Adjusted the scale to zero
Ø After the setting, pressure is increased by further rotating the knob
Ø When pill is broke down the hardness is recorded as indicated in scale
Ø Ten pills of each group are tested and calculated the average hardness of each pill
Disintegration time:
Ø Take 6 pills in the disintegration apparatus
Ø Adjust the apparatus in such a way that the complete up and down movement of both the tubes in a beaker containing distilled water was repeated for 30times per minute
Ø When the particles remain above the screen, which is readily passed through it was recorded as the disintegration time
Ash value:
Ø A porcelain crucible is weighed
Ø 2 gm of sample is taken in the weighed crucible
Ø Placed in an electric furnace/incinerator and gradually increase the temperature up to 7000 C until the sample become carbon free
Ø Cooled and weighed
Moisture content: Loss on drying
Ø Take 1 gm of sample in pre-weighed watch glass
Ø Dry in an electric oven at 1100 C to a constant weight
Ø Note down the weight at 30 min intervals
Ø Continue the process till the difference between two consecutive weights is not more than 5 mg
Summary
Ø Gutika – Pills
Ø Plant or mineral drugs
Ø Suganda dravya
Ø Standardization: Uniformity of weight, Hardness, Disintegration time, ash value, moisture content
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