DETERMINATION OF SWELLING FACTOR/SWELLING INDEX
The term swelling factor gives an idea about the mucilage content of the drug, hence it is useful in the evaluation
of crude drugs containing mucilage. Many herbal drugs are of specific for therapeutic or pharmaceutical utility
because of their swelling properties- especially gums and drugs those are containing an appreciable amount of
constituents like mucilage, pectin or hemicelluloses. The swelling index is defined as the volume in ml taken up
by the swelling of 1g of herbal material under specified conditions. Its determined is based on the addition of
water or a swelling agent as specified conditions. Its determination is based on the addition of water or a swelling
agent as specified in the test procedure for each individual herbal material (either whole, cut or pulverized).
Aim: - The main objective of present experiment is to measure the swelling factor of the given sample.
Requirements: - Stoppered measuring cylinder-25ml, Conical flask- 500ml, Volumetric flask, Stoppers test
tubes Sample, water (q.s)
Procedure:
1. Take 1 g of the seeds in a 25 ml stoppered cylinder.
2. Add water upto 25 ml marking
3. Shake occasionally during 23 hours.
4. Keep aside for one hour.
5. Measure the volume occupied by the swollen seeds.
DETERMINATION OF FOAMING INDEX
The foaming ability of an aqueous decoction of plant materials and their extracts are measured in terms of a
foaming index.. Saponins give persistent foam when shaken with water. Hence, plant material/extract
containing saponins is evaluated by measuring the foaming ability in term of foaming index.
Procedure:
1. Take 1g of coarse powder of the plant material in a 500 ml conical flask.
2. Add 100 ml of boiling water and maintain moderate boiling for the 30 minutes
3. Cool and filter.
4. Collect the filtrate / decoction in a 100 ml volumetric flask and adjust the volume to 100 ml by adding
sufficient water.
5. Pour the decoction into 10 stoppered test tubes (height 16 cm, diameter 16 mm) as 1 ml, 2 ml 3 ml, etc.
upto 10 ml.
6. Adjust the volume of liquid in each test tube to 10 ml by adding sufficient quantity of water and stopper
the tubes.
7. Shake test tubes in a lengthwise motion for 15 seconds (two shakes per second)
8. Allow test tubes to stand for 15 minutes and measure the height of the foam.
Assessment:
If the height of the foam in each tube is less the 1cm, the foaming index is less than 100(not significant). Here,
if the foam is more than 1cm height after the dilution of plant material in the sixth tube, then corresponding
number of the test tube is the index sought. If the height of the foam in every tube is more than 1cm, the foaming
index is more than 1000. In this case, 10ml of the first decoction of the plant material needs to be measured and
transferred to a volumetric flask of 100ml capacity(V2) and volume is to be maintained up to 100ml and follow
the same procedure
Foaming index is calculated by using the following formula
1000
Foaming index= in case of V1
𝑎
10
Foaming index= 1000 x in the case of V2
𝑎
Where, a = volume (ml) of decoction used for preparing the dilution in the tube where exactly 1cm or more foam
is observed.
Note: If the test tube showing 1 cm foam height is first or second in the series, prepare an intermediate
dilution in a similar manner to obtain precise result.
DETERMINATION OF TOTAL ASH VALUE:
Used to determine quality and purity of a crude drug and to establish the identity of it.
Ash contains inorganic radicals like phosphates, carbonates and silicates of sodium potassium, magnesium,
calcium etc. These are present in definite amount in a particular crude drug hence, quantitative determination
in terms of various ash values helps in their standardization.
Sometimes, inorganic variables like calcium oxalate, silica, carbonate content of the crude drug affects Total ash
value. Such variables are removed by treating with acid (as they are soluble in hydrochloric acid) and acid
insoluble ash value is [Link] Rhubarb Liquorice etc. Used to determine foreign inorganic matter present
as an impurity.
Procedure:
1. Weigh and ignite flat, thin, porcelain dish or a tared silica crucible.
2. Weigh about 2 g of the powdered drug into the dish/crucible.
3. Heat the crucible in the incinerator.
4. Heat till vapours almost cease to be evolved; until all the carbon is burnt off.
5. Coal in a desiccator.
6. Weigh the ash and calculate the percentage of total ash with reference to the air-dried sample of the
crude drug.
Calculation:
Weight empty dish = x
Weight of the drug taken y
Weight of the dish+ Ash (after complete incineration) = z
Weight of the ash = (z-x)
‘y’ g of the crude drug gives (z-x)g of ash
100
Therefore, 100 g of the crude drug gives 𝑦
𝑋 (z-x) g of the ash
100 (𝑧−𝑥)
Total ash value of the sample= %
𝑦