Formulation, physicochemical, and mating behavior evaluation of tablet modified from Safoofe kharekhasak: A Unani Pharmacopoeia aphrodisiac powder

Introduction: Safoofe kharekhasak (SK), a powder used as an aphrodisiac in Unani Medicine. Its ingredients are Anacyclus pyrethrum DC. root, Zingiber officinale Rosc. rhizome, and Tribulus terrestris Linn fruit and sugar. The present study is attempted to reduce its bulkiness by converting it into extract tablets, to make it more palatable, portable, sugar-free, and to improve patient compliance. Physiochemical and aphrodisiac activity evaluation of the formulated tablet and SK was performed to validate its action. Materials and Methods: Tablet batch was selected prepared from the authenticated ingredient and excipients on pre- and post-compression evaluation. Physicochemical evaluation with high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) fingerprinting with quantitative estimation of diosgenin and screening of mating behavior in rats with parameters mounting frequency (MF), intromission frequency (IF), mounting latency (ML), intromission latency (IL), ejaculatory latency in first series, and post-ejaculatory interval was carried out for the optimised batch of the tablet and SK. Results: Selected batch of tablet containing extract 400 mg (50%), microcrystalline cellulose, starch and lactose 124 mg (15.5%) each, SSG 8 mg (1%), Aerosil-200 16 mg (2%), and magnesium stearate 4 mg (0.5%). Hardness in Kg, friability (%), and disintegration time (in min) were 11.0 ± 0.00, 0.279 ± 0.02, and 7.906 ± 0.169, respectively. Standards for loss of weight on drying, pH, ash value, extractive values, qualitative test for various functional groups, and HPTLC fingerprinting were set in. Diosgenin content in tablet was estimated to be 63.85 μg/gm. Mating behavior study revealed significant aphrodisiac effect of the formulated tablet in the dose (140 mg/kg body weight) as per MF and EL with respect to control. Conclusions: Extract tablet was formulated with excipients in compliance with the analytical specification; its physicochemical standards were established. Mating behavior in rats showed potential aphrodisiac effect in rats at a specified dose.