Phytochemical fingerprinting of in - house prepared mother tinctures of selected solanaceae plants

Abstract

The Solanaceae family comprises several medicinally important plants known for their analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, and neuroactive properties. Datura stramonium, Solanum nigrum, and Capsicum annuum are widely utilized across traditional systems of medicine, including Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, and Homoeopathy, particularly in the form of mother tinctures. Their therapeutic efficacy is attributed to diverse bioactive phytoconstituents such as alkaloids, flavonoids, glycosides, tannins, and capsaicinoids. Despite their extensive clinical use in Homoeopathy, there is limited scientific documentation regarding the phytochemical composition and standardization of these drugs when prepared as homoeopathic mother tinctures. This lack of analytical validation poses challenges to quality assurance and evidence-based homoeopathic pharmacy. The present study focuses on the phytochemical fingerprinting of in-house prepared mother tinctures of Datura stramonium, Solanum nigrum, and Capsicum annuum, prepared in accordance with the Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia of India. By employing preliminary phytochemical screening along with advanced analytical techniques, this study aims to establish characteristic phytochemical profiles, correlate them with their traditional therapeutic relevance, and contribute to the scientific standardization and validation of homoeopathic mother tinctures.