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Beena, C.*, Sindhu, P.V. and Sindhumole, P.
All India Coordinated Research Project on Medicinal, Aromatic Plants & Betelvine ,
College of Agriculture, Kerala Agricultural University, KAU.P.O., Vellanikkara,
Thrissur – 680656, Kerala, India
Email: beenac2@gmail.com
Received-28.06.2025, Revised-13.07.2025, Accepted-26.07.2025
Abstract: Neel (Indigofera tinctoria L.), commonly known as true indigo and belonging to the Fabaceae family, is a historically known natural source of blue indigo dye. Beyond its dyeing properties, it also possesses notable medicinal value. The leaves of Neelare key components in several Ayurvedic formulations, like Aravindasavam, Neelibringadi oil, Neelithulasyadi kashayam etc. With the increasing commercial demand, numerous branded indigo leaf powders are available in the herbal market, but concerns over adulteration persist. This study, conducted at Kerala Agricultural University, Vellanikkara, Thrissur, aimed to evaluate the quality of marketed Indigo leaf powder samples using High-Performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC). Samples were collected from herbal outlets across Kerala as well as from online platforms, grouped to nine and compared against a reference standard. HPTLC analysis revealed that while majority of the samples were authentic, certain brands showed evidence of adulteration or mixing. The study underscores the effectiveness of HPTLC as a reliable tool for authenticating herbal powders and highlights the need for stricter quality control in the herbal raw drug market.
Keywords: Indigofera tinctoria, Neelamari, Indigo leaf powder, HPTLC, Quality evaluation, Adulteration
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