Preparation and standardization of Ayurvedic formulations – Aristas and Asawas MCQs With Answer

Preparation and standardization of Ayurvedic formulations – Aristas and Asawas MCQs With Answer

Aristas and Asawas are traditional Ayurvedic fermented liquid formulations widely used for therapeutic purposes. For B. Pharm students, understanding their preparation, fermentation chemistry, quality control, and standardization is essential. Key topics include raw materials selection, role of fermentable substrates (jaggery, sugar, honey), yeast-mediated fermentation, determination of alcohol content, organoleptic and physicochemical tests, microbial limits, stability, packaging and adherence to pharmacopoeial methods. Emphasis on analytical techniques (titration, distillation, GC, HPTLC), parameter validation and SOPs ensures reproducible quality and safety. This focused overview equips students with practical and regulatory insights into Arista and Asava manufacture and testing. Now let’s test your knowledge with 30 MCQs on this topic.

Q1. Which statement best defines an Arista?

• Fermented herbal decoction prepared with added sugar and allowed natural fermentation
• Concentrated herbal paste meant for external application
• Solid herbal tablet compressed from powdered drugs
• Sterile aqueous extract used for intravenous use

Correct Answer: Fermented herbal decoction prepared with added sugar and allowed natural fermentation

Q2. How does an Asava primarily differ from an Arista?

• Asava is prepared from fresh juices while Arista uses decoctions
• Asava is always non-fermented while Arista is fermented
• Asava contains no fermentable sugar whereas Arista does
• Asava is a solid formulation and Arista is liquid

Correct Answer: Asava is prepared from fresh juices while Arista uses decoctions

Q3. What is the principal role of jaggery or sugar in Arista/Asava preparation?

• Provide fermentable substrate for yeasts to produce alcohol
• Act as a preservative preventing microbial growth
• Neutralize herbal constituents to reduce potency
• Increase product viscosity for topical use

Correct Answer: Provide fermentable substrate for yeasts to produce alcohol

Q4. Which microorganism group is primarily responsible for fermentation in Aristas and Asavas?

• Yeasts
• Filamentous fungi
• Protozoa
• Strict anaerobic bacteria

Correct Answer: Yeasts

Q5. Which analytical technique is most appropriate for accurate quantification of ethanol in finished Arista/Asava samples?

• Gas chromatography (GC)
• Thin layer chromatography (TLC)
• Loss on drying
• Colorimetric organoleptic test

Correct Answer: Gas chromatography (GC)

Q6. Which pharmacopoeial parameter is routinely measured to assess fermentation progress in Arista/Asava?

• Alcohol content (percent v/v)
• Tablet hardness
• Viscosity at 100°C
• Particle size distribution

Correct Answer: Alcohol content (percent v/v)

Q7. Which test indicates the degree of fermentation by measuring acidity in Arista/Asava?

• Titrable acidity
• pH meter reading only
• Loss on ignition
• Heavy metal assay

Correct Answer: Titrable acidity

Q8. Which packaging material is preferred for storing Aristas and Asavas to maintain stability?

• Amber glass bottles with secure caps
• Perforated cardboard boxes
• Open earthen pots without lids
• Clear plastic film pouches exposed to light

Correct Answer: Amber glass bottles with secure caps

Q9. During standardization, which chromatographic method can be used to fingerprint and quantify marker compounds in Arista/Asava?

• High performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC)
• Flame photometry
• Polarimetry only
• Thermogravimetric analysis

Correct Answer: High performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC)

Q10. What is a critical microbiological quality parameter for finished Arista/Asava formulations?

• Total viable aerobic microbial count and absence of specific pathogens
• Presence of any filamentous fungi as indicator organisms
• High coliform count as acceptable standard
• Mandatory anaerobic spore counts only

Correct Answer: Total viable aerobic microbial count and absence of specific pathogens

Q11. Which storage condition best preserves the quality of Aristas and Asavas?

• Cool, dark place at room temperature away from direct sunlight
• Exposed to sunlight at high temperature for faster maturation
• Repeated freezing and thawing cycles
• Open-air storage with aeration

Correct Answer: Cool, dark place at room temperature away from direct sunlight

Q12. What is the significance of conducting organoleptic evaluation during standardization?

• Assesses color, odor, taste and consistency as primary quality attributes
• Determines microbial endotoxin levels quantitatively
• Calculates exact alcohol molarity through sensory tests
• Replaces all chromatographic analyses

Correct Answer: Assesses color, odor, taste and consistency as primary quality attributes

Q13. Which of the following can act as a starter culture promoter in traditional Arista/Asava fermentation?

• Use of previous batch residues or natural airborne yeasts
• Sterile distilled water only
• Gamma irradiation of the entire mixture
• Complete absence of fermentable sugars

Correct Answer: Use of previous batch residues or natural airborne yeasts

Q14. For regulatory compliance, which heavy metal limits should be monitored in Ayurvedic liquid formulations?

• Lead, arsenic, mercury and cadmium within pharmacopeial limits
• Only copper and zinc with unlimited thresholds
• Any metal presence is acceptable without testing
• Nickel as the sole required test

Correct Answer: Lead, arsenic, mercury and cadmium within pharmacopeial limits

Q15. Which physicochemical test helps determine total dissolved solids in Arista/Asava?

• Total solids or refractometric Brix measurement
• Disintegration time
• Loss on ignition at 800°C
• Viscosity at shear rate 0 only

Correct Answer: Total solids or refractometric Brix measurement

Q16. Which parameter most directly affects final alcohol concentration in fermentation?

• Initial fermentable sugar concentration and yeast activity
• Ambient light intensity only
• Total phenolic content exclusively
• Volume of the container independent of substrate

Correct Answer: Initial fermentable sugar concentration and yeast activity

Q17. What is the purpose of standard operating procedures (SOPs) in preparation of Aristas and Asavas?

• Ensure reproducible quality, safety and regulatory compliance
• Allow arbitrary changes to process by each operator
• Replace analytical testing entirely
• Ensure products are never tested for alcohol

Correct Answer: Ensure reproducible quality, safety and regulatory compliance

Q18. Which stability study parameter is important for shelf-life estimation of Arista/Asava?

• Changes in alcohol content, organoleptic properties and microbial load over time
• Color change only without chemical assays
• Tablet friability values
• Melting point determination

Correct Answer: Changes in alcohol content, organoleptic properties and microbial load over time

Q19. Which adulteration concern is specific to fermented Ayurvedic liquids?

• Synthetic ethanol addition to mask poor fermentation
• Replacement with sterile saline
• Intentional removal of all sugars to enhance flavor
• Substitution with powdered herbs only

Correct Answer: Synthetic ethanol addition to mask poor fermentation

Q20. Which in-process control is essential during fermentation of Aristas/Asavas?

• Periodic monitoring of pH, specific gravity and alcohol content
• Continuous measurement of tablet hardness
• Daily particle size analysis of solids
• Measuring volatilization of heavy metals

Correct Answer: Periodic monitoring of pH, specific gravity and alcohol content

Q21. Which preservative strategy is commonly applied if required for these fermented liquids?

• Maintaining adequate alcohol levels and hygienic processing
• Adding antibiotics as preservatives routinely
• Introducing live bacterial cultures to outcompete yeasts
• Exposing to sunlight to sterilize

Correct Answer: Maintaining adequate alcohol levels and hygienic processing

Q22. Which test helps detect fermentation-derived volatile impurities in finished product?

• Gas chromatography for volatile profiling
• UV-Vis spectrophotometry for color only
• Moisture content by gravimetric method exclusively
• Sulfated ash determination

Correct Answer: Gas chromatography for volatile profiling

Q23. Why is documentation of batch-wise fermentation history important?

• Enables traceability, troubleshooting and regulatory audits
• Is optional and holds no relevance to quality
• Only needed for marketing claims
• Prevents any chemical testing of batches

Correct Answer: Enables traceability, troubleshooting and regulatory audits

Q24. Which instrumental technique can quantify marker phytochemicals for standardization of Arista/Asava?

• High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)
• Simple smell test
• Bulk density measurement
• Moisture sorption isotherm only

Correct Answer: High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)

Q25. Which quality attribute indicates microbial contamination during storage?

• Off-odor and turbidity development
• Increased transparency only
• Decreased sugar content only without sensory change
• Higher alcohol with improved aroma always

Correct Answer: Off-odor and turbidity development

Q26. Which regulatory document is most relevant for standardized methods of Ayurvedic formulations like Aristas and Asavas?

• Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India
• United States Pharmacopeia for injectables only
• Industrial paint formulation manual
• International building code

Correct Answer: Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India

Q27. What is the impact of temperature control during fermentation?

• Affects yeast metabolism, fermentation rate and final alcohol yield
• Is irrelevant to fermentation outcomes
• Only affects color but not chemical composition
• Always sterilizes the product if too high

Correct Answer: Affects yeast metabolism, fermentation rate and final alcohol yield

Q28. Which sampling practice is critical for representative quality testing of a batch?

• Collecting samples from multiple locations and mixing to form a composite sample
• Sampling only from the surface layer once
• Using leftover retail bottles for final testing
• Testing only the fermentation starter and ignoring final product

Correct Answer: Collecting samples from multiple locations and mixing to form a composite sample

Q29. Which parameter is useful to monitor to detect incomplete fermentation?

• Persistently high specific gravity indicating residual sugars
• Complete absence of color change only
• Very low titratable acidity always means complete fermentation
• High heavy metal content

Correct Answer: Persistently high specific gravity indicating residual sugars

Q30. In validating analytical methods for Arista/Asava standardization, which performance characteristic is essential?

• Accuracy, precision, specificity and robustness of the method
• Only the speed of analysis irrespective of reliability
• Exclusively visual appearance of the chromatogram
• Method cost as the sole deciding factor

Correct Answer: Accuracy, precision, specificity and robustness of the method

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