COMPARATIVE PHARMACEUTICO-ANALYTICAL AND INVITRO ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF MURCCHITA AND AMURCCHITA MANJISHTHADI TAILA IN PROPIONIBACTERIUM ACNES.

Abstract

Background: Manjishthadi Taila is a classical Ayurvedic medicated oil indicated for Pidaka and related skin conditions. Taila Murchhana is intended to improve the organoleptic quality, stability, and therapeutic utility of sesame oil. Objective: To compare Murcchita and Amurcchita Manjishthadi Taila through pharmaceutical preparation, physicochemical and chromatographic evaluation, microbiological quality assessment, and in vitro antibacterial activity against Propionibacterium acnes. Methods: Both formulations were prepared according to classical Sneha Kalpana procedures. Refractive index, specific gravity, iodine value, saponification value, acid value, pH, thin-layer chromatography (TLC), and total bacterial count were assessed. Antibacterial activity was evaluated by agar well diffusion against P. acnes, with streptomycin as the standard. Results: Murcchita and Amurcchita formulations showed inhibition zones of 16 mm and 9 mm, respectively; streptomycin produced 26 mm and the control 0 mm. The thesis reported a significant overall difference (one-way ANOVA: F=93.86, p<0.0001), with all pairwise comparisons significant by Tukey testing. The Murcchita sample had refractive index 1.47, specific gravity 0.91, iodine value 58, saponification value 190, acid value 4, and pH 6.48; corresponding Amurcchita values were 1.48, 0.913, 70, 180, 6, and 6.35. Both samples had 0 CFU/mL. Conclusion: Both oils demonstrated antibacterial activity, while Murcchita Manjishthadi Taila showed greater in vitro inhibition of P. acnes. The findings support further standardized and replicated investigation of the influence of Murchhana on efficacy and stability.