HYDRO-DISTILLATION OF GANDHAYUKTI: A PHARMACOGNOSTICAL STUDY BASED ON THE BRIHAT SAMHITA

The Brihat Samhita of Varahamihira presents Gandhayukti Adhyaya as an early systematic treatise on perfum-ery, detailing the selection, blending, and permutation of aromatic substances for diverse applications. However, classical texts do not describe explicit methodologies for isolating volatile principles using modern techniques. The present study attempts to contextualise Gandhayukti concepts by applying contemporary methods of essen-tial oil extraction and evaluation. Four aromatic drugs: Musta (Cyperus rotundus), Ushira (Vetiveria zizani-oides), Aguru (Aquilaria agallocha), and Dhanyaka (Coriandrum sativum), selected from the Gandharnava ma-trix were subjected to hydro-distillation using a Clevenger apparatus under controlled laboratory conditions. Ex-traction parameters such as plant part, solute–solvent ratio, temperature, duration, and fraction collection were standardised. Among the selected drugs, measurable essential oil yield was obtained only from Dhanyaka seeds (0.6 mL; 0.3%), while the remaining drugs yielded trace amounts. The variation in yield was attributed to differ-ences in botanical structure, localisation of volatile constituents, and matrix permeability. Seeds demonstrated superior oil liberation compared to rhizomes, roots, and resinous heartwood. This study highlights the feasibility of integrating classical Gandhayukti principles with pharmacopeial extraction techniques, supporting the scien-tific revival and standardisation of traditional Indian perfumery.