Review on in vitro antibacterial and antioxidant potential of ingredients of Sri Lankan traditional herbal formula, “Dasapanguwa”

Abstract

The ‘Dasapanguwa’ herbal formulation which is commonly consumed as a traditional medicine in Sri Lanka consists of ten ingredients, namely the rhizome of Zingiber officinale (Ginger), the dried stem of Coscinium fenestratum (Tree Turmeric) leaves, stems of Oldenlandia corymbosa (Pathpadagam), dried berries of Solanum xanthocarpum (Katuwelbatu), dried leaves of Justicia adhatoda (Pawatta/Adathoda), Piper nigrum L. (Black Pepper), the dried stem and roots of Glycyrrhiza glabra (liquorice), dried seeds of Coriandrum sativum (Coriander), Solanum melongena L. (Elabatu /Eggplant) and the rhizome of Alpinia calcarata (Snap ginger). The objectives of this project were to identify the antibacterial and antioxidant properties of the herbal components of dasapanguwa and their ability to heal diseases. All ingredients have antioxidant components such as polyphenols, and flavonoids which have been examined using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl-hydrate radical scavenging ability. Antibacterial properties of Coscinium fenestratum, Oldenlandia corymbose, Justicia adhatoda, Piper nigrum L, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Coriandrum sativum and Solanum melongena L. were demonstrated using antimicrobial susceptibility testing. This review contributes to the collective understanding of the antioxidant and antibacterial properties of the ingredients in Dasapanguwa, as synthesized from literature on Google Scholar and PubMed. Further research is needed to assess the antibacterial and antioxidant properties of Dasapanguwa decoction due to the lack of existing literature on its capabilities.