Physicochemical evaluation and standardization of traditional healing herb Sonchus asper linn

Sonchus asper also locally known as prickly sow-thistle, rough milk thistle, spiny sowthistle, spiny-leaved sow thistleordudhi, is a widespread plant an annual or biennial herb sometimes reaching a height of 200 cm. with spiny leaves and yellow flowers resembling those of the dandelion. Traditionally it has been used in the treatment of numerous disorders and many resembling plants of the genus Sonchas create confusion hence its standardization is necessary. In the present work we have tried to standardize the entire herb based on physical, chemical, microscopical, and Physico-chemical investigations to provide the proximate values for its proper identification. The present work will help the traditional healers for selecting the correct herb for treating different disorders and avoid the wrong choice of crude drugs which may lead to unsatisfactory results for intended use or it may cause discomfort for many patients. Further work is going on for the biological evaluation of this herb to provide scientific validation of its traditional claims.