**4. Authentification of plants**

According to WHO, the best source of medicines are medicinal plants. The herbs under study are easily available throughout the year and in almost all parts of India*.* They are cheap and can be easily procured from wild sources also. Since whole plants do not stay stable and potent for a longer duration, they were used freshly dried specific parts of plants. We have selected *A. indica* Linn leaves*, Vitex nigundo* Linn leaves, seeds of *Trigonella foenum graecum* Linn, and A. mexicana Linn leaves*.* Selection of plants based on an extensive literature survey, the literature reveals that the selected plants were used traditionally for curing various skin diseases*.* The selected plant parts contain different phytoconstituents responsible for antimicrobial and antiinflammatory activities. In the ayurvedic system of medicines, these plants are used traditionally. Also, these plants have been reported in CHARAK SAMHITA ancient and authoritative textbook of Ayurveda and Unani [6, 7]. *A. indica* leaves*, Vitex nigundo* Linn leaves were collected from the local region of Latur in the month of July

*Trace Element Determination in Medicinal Plant Samples by ED-XRF Analysis DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.107854*

and August, seeds of *Trigonella foenum graecum* Linn and were collected from the local market of Latur in the month of august, *A. mexicana* Linn leaves*,* in the month of October respectively and authenticated under the supervision of expert botanist by submitting herbarium of each sample. Authenticated plant parts were evaluated for its morphological characteristics such as color, odor, taste, size, shape, and nature of outer and inner surfaces as per guidelines of WHO. The plant parts were shade dried for a month and powdered in mechanical grinder and stored in airtight container [8].

#### **5. Standardization of plants**

In order to produce reproducible quality of final product the quality of starting material is very important. Therefore, standardization of plant samples under study was performed as per the comprehensive guidelines of WHO monographs. World health organization emphasized the need of ensuring quality of herbal drugs by using different modern techniques and by applying suitable standards. The following parameters were used for standardization [8, 9].

### **6. Extractive values**

The extractive value of drug helps to determine the amount of soluble constituents in a medicinal plant material, after extraction with solvents. The extraction of any crude drug with a particular solvent gives a solution containing different chemical constituents, which are soluble in that solvent only. The composition of these chemical constituents in a solvent depends upon the nature of phytoconstituents and their solubility in solvent used for extraction [8, 9].

#### **7. Water soluble extractive**

Accurately weighed 5 gm of crude drug sample of *Argemone Mexicana* Linn, *Vitex nigundo* Linn*, Azardirachta indica* Linn leaves and seeds of *Trigonella foenum graecum* Linn taken in a weighing bottle and then transfer it to each different dry 250 ml. conical flask. Each flask was filled to the delivery mark with the chloroform water for water soluble extractives. Tightly packed all flasks and kept a side for 24 hours. Then it was filtered, when sufficient filtrate has collected, takes 25 ml of the filtrate and transferred to a thin porcelain dish. Evaporated to dryness on a water bath and subjected for drying in an oven at 100<sup>0</sup> c. Cool in desiccators and of percentage water soluble extractive was calculated (**Table 2**) [8–10].

#### **8. Alcohol soluble extractive**

Accurately weighed 5 gm of each *Argemone Mexicana* Linn, *Vitex nigundo* Linn*, Azardirachta indica* Linn leaves, and seeds of *Trigonella foenum graecum* Linn powder drug taken in a weighing bottle and transfer it to separate dry 250 ml. conical flasks.

Each flask was filled to the delivery mark with the solvent (90% alcohol). Tightly packed all flasks and kept aside for 24 hours, then it was filtered rapidly in order to


#### **Table 2.**

*Results of standardization of plant materials.*

prevent the loss of alcohol. When sufficient filtrate has collected, take 25 ml. of the filtrate and transferred to thin porcelain dish. Evaporated to dryness on a water bath and subjected for drying in an oven at 100<sup>0</sup> c. Cool in desiccators and of Percentage ethanol soluble extractive was calculated [8–10].

**Ash values:** Ash value means residue remained after incineration of crude drugs. It is inorganic mixture of metallic salts and silica. It helps in determining the quality and purity of crude drugs, especially in the powdered form of crude drugs. The objective of ash value is to remove all traces of organic matter which may interfere in an analytical determination. Ash contains inorganic like phosphates, carbonates, silicates of sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, etc. Sometimes, inorganic variables like calcium oxalate carbonate content of drug affects "Total ash value"(139).

The different Types of ash values are as follows:

**Total Ash**: It is the total mixture of physiological ash and non-physiological ash. Water Soluble Ash: If a total ash is treated with chloroform water then the resulting ash is known as water- soluble ash. Sulfated Ash: It involves the treatment of drug with dil. Sulfuric acid before ignition. In this all oxides and carbonates are converted to sulfates and ignition is carried out at a higher temperatures in a muffle furnace. Acid Insoluble Ash: If a total ash is treated with dil. HCL then the resulting ash is known as acid insoluble ash. This value mainly represents contamination with materials like sand. Weighed and ignited flat thin porcelain dish or a tarred silica crucible was taken. 2 g of the powdered drug were weighed and taken in the dish /crucible. Support the dish on a triangle placed on the ring of the retort stand. Heated with a burner using a flame till vapors almost ceases to be evolved then lower the dish and heat more strongly until all the carbon is burnt off and placed the silica crucible in a desiccator for cooling. After cooling weight, the ash and calculated the percentage [8–10].

**Acid Insoluble Ash:** Using 25 ml of dil. HCL washed the ash obtained from the dish used for determination of total ash value into 100 ml beaker. Boiled for 5 minutes over a Bunsen burner and filtered the above solutions through an ash
