pharmacognostical evaluation of root bark of streblus asper lour
TRANSCRIPT
Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge
Vol. 8(2), April 2009, pp. 176-180
Pharmacognostical evaluation of root bark of Streblus asper Lour.
V Madhavan1, Pravinkumar P Zamabad
1, MR Gurudeva
2 & SN Yoganarasimhan
1*
1Department of Pharmacognosy, MS Ramaiah College of Pharmacy, MSRIT Campus, Bangalore 560 054, Karnataka 2VV Pura College of Science, KR Road, Bangalore 560 004, Karnataka
E-mail: [email protected]
Received 9 August 2007revised 8 April 2008
Streblus asper Lour. known as Shakhotaka in Ayurveda and Piraayan in Siddha is an important medicinal plant
belonging to family Moraceae. The root bark is antipyretic, antidysentric and analgesic, and sedative. The study provides
taxonomical, pharmacognostical and physicochemical details helpful in laying down standardization and pharmacopoeial
parameters. The diagnostic characters are latex exudation, lenticular opening, crystals and latex cells in secondary phloem,
2-3-seriate medullary rays, and septate fibers. Physicochemical studies revealed, total moisture content (8.91%), total ash
(15.00%), acid insoluble ash (5.65%), water-soluble ash (3.23%), alcohol soluble extractive value (18.05%), and water-
soluble extractive value (35.83%). Ultraviolet analysis exhibited considerable variation. Preliminary organic analysis
revealed carbohydrates, glycosides, phytosterols, phenolic compounds, tannins, saponin, gums and mucilage. Thin layer
chromatographic studies gave 8 and 7 spots in alcohol and aqueous extracts, respectively.
Keywords: Streblus asper, Pharmacognosy, Physicochemical analysis
IPC Int. Cl.8: A01K61/00, A61P1/04, A61P1/06, A61P1/10, A61P1/16, A61P29/00
Streblus asper Lour., (Moraceae), known as Demon
tree is an important medicinal plant1,2
. Large shrub or
small tree with crooked stem, bark light grey or
greenish with faint ridges, laticiferous. Leaves
alternate, 5-7×3.5-4 cm long, rhomboid-elliptic,
obovate or elliptic-oblong, acute, cuneate at base,
denticulate, glabrous. Flowers unisexual, axillary;
male flowers in globose pedunculate heads; stamens
4, inflexed in bud, anthers reinform; female flowers
solitary, inconspicuous, long peduncled. Fruit
1-seeded berry, enclosed by enlarged sepals. The root
bark and seeds are used in Ayurveda as a single drug
for treatment of diarrhoea, dysentery, filariasis,
diseases of nervous system and fever, whereas in
Siddha medicine, root bark, leaf and exudate (latex)
are used for dysentery, fissures, sprue, as an
aphrodisiac, and also for dental diseases3,4
. The
extracts showed anticancer and antiallergic activity5,6
.
The major glycoside in root bark is vijaloside, known
for its cardiac activity
apart from β-sitosterol, ά-
amyrin and luepol from leaves7,8
. Pharmacognostical
investigation with macerate and powder study details
on root bark which help in identification of crude drug
was not available and hence the study was
undertaken9-12
.
Methodology Fresh root bark collected from Botanical garden of
the University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK
campus, Bangalore was preserved in 70% ethyl
alcohol for histological studies. Pharmacognostical
evaluation including histochemical, macerate and
powder studies were carried out by taking free hand
sections13-15
. Photomicrographs were taken using
compound binocular microscope having sensor aided
digital camera and computer attachments.
Measurement of cells of tissues was also carried out.
Physicochemical constants, ultra-violet analysis,
organic analysis and thin layer chromatography were
carried out from shade dried powder6,17-19
. Voucher
herbarium specimen along with voucher crude drug
sample is preserved at the herbarium of MS Ramaiah
College of Pharmacy, Bangalore. Botanical
identification was carried out using local floras20-22
.
Results and discussion
Fresh root bark of 2–7 mm thick, peeling off when
dry, outer surface pale yellow, lenticellate, inner
surface fibrous within, brown was taken (Figs 1-2).
Mature dry root bark incurved, yellowish-brown to
chocolate brown, bitter, without characteristic odour;
fracture hard (Fig. 3) was taken for study. Transverse
section of root bark shows cork, consisting of 4-8
layers of tangentially elongated cells, 15-23-31µ, _________
*Corresponding author
MADHAVAN et al.: PHARMACOGNOSTICAL EVALUATION OF STREBLUS ASPER LOUR. ROOT BARK
177
interspersed by dark coloured lenticular openings.
Cork cambium single layered, followed by 2-3 layers
of secondary cortex and a large secondary phloem.
Cortical cells thin walled, parenchymatous,
rectangular or polygonal, 7-20-33µ, contain simple
round starch grains. Groups of stone cells, 22-41-60µ,
in tangential bands occur next to secondary cortex.
Secondary phloem consists of phloem parenchyma,
sieve tubes, companion cells and phloem fibers;
phloem parenchyma cells thin walled, variable in size
and shape, 26-47-58µ, elongated, either tangentially
or radially, contain starch grains, 22-41-60µ
(diameter) and large prismatic, rhomboidal or
spheroidal crystals of calcium oxalate, and abundant
laticiferous cells. Phloem fibers radially arranged, in
vertical columns, intermingled with phloem
parenchyma and alternating with medullary rays.
Medullary rays multiseriate, run in parallel rows
separating phloem, almost up to secondary cortex;
cells rectangular or polygonal, radially elongated, thin
walled, 15-28-40µ, contain simple starch grains and
crystals; stone cells are specifically found more in
medullary ray region (Figs. 4-14).
Macerate shows rectangular or polygonal cortical
cells, 9-18-27µ, contain starch grains; irregular
parenchyma cells; phloem fibers 14-18-22µ, septate,
thin walled, with a large lumen; groups of thick
walled stone cells, simple pitted and with broad
lumen; laticiferous cells with granular content (Figs.
15-19).
Powder study shows powder yellowish, odourless,
bitter, fibrous; when treated with chloral hydrate
solution, stained in 1% safranin for 5-10 minutes,
mounted in 50% glycerine shows cork cells,
parenchyma cells and phloem fibers; with iodine
solution, gave blue colour indicating presence of
starch. Results of histochemical tests are provided
(Table 1). The % of moisture content was 9.2, total
ash 15.0, acid insoluble ash 5.6, water soluble ash 3.2,
alcohol souble extractive 18.0 and water soluble
extractive 35.8; the % of successive extractive values
were petroleum ether (60-80ºc) 4.08, benzene 0.73,
chloroform 1.39, acetone 0.59, ethanol 6.16 and water
7.61. A known quantity of dried powder was
extracted in a Soxhlet with petroleum ether (60-80ºc),
benzene, chloroform, acetone and ethanol (95%) and
finally macerated with chloroform-water for 24 hrs
successively and tested for different constituents
revealed carbohydrates, glycosides, phytosterols,
phenolic compounds, tannins, saponins, gums and
mucilage16,19
. The alcohol and aqueous extracts were
used to carry out TLC with solvent system,
chloroform: ethanol [8:2] for alcohol extract and pet
ether (60-80ºC): ethyl acetate [6:4] for aqueous
extract (Figs 20, 21). Iodine vapours were used as
developer. Alcohol extract gave 8 spots of Rf 0.11,
0.29, 0.43, 0.52, 0.80, 0.91, 0.97 and aqueous extract
7 spots of Rf 0.08, 0.11, 0.14, 0.43, 0.62, 0.85 and
0.97 (Figs. 20, 21). Powdered drug under UV and
ordinary light when treated with different reagents
emitted various colour radiations (Table 2) which help
in identifying the drug in powder form. Diagnostic
characters of root bark include: presence of lenticular
openings; presence of different types of crystals and
Table 1 — Histochemical tests of root bark of S. asper
Material Reagent Test for Colour change Result
Section Iodine Starch Blue ++
Section Ferric chloride solution (10%) Tannin Black ++
Section Sudan III solution Oil globules No change − −
Section dil Hcl + pinch of phloroglucinol Lignin Majenta colour ++
Section con Hcl Calcium oxalate crystals Little effervescence ++
+: present; − : absent
Table 2 — Ultra-violet analysis of root bark powder of S. asper
Treatment UV light
Visible light
short wave (254 nm) long wave (365 nm)
Powder as such Light brown Light brown Light brown
In methanol Dark brown Dark green Brown
In methanol NaOH Brown Green Light brown
In ethanol Dark brown Green Brown
In ethanol NaOH Dark brown Dark green Light brown
In dil HCl Light brown Light green Brown
INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL 8, No. 2, APRIL 2009
180
latex cells in secondary phloem; groups of
tangentially arranged stone cells in secondary cortex
and septate fibres.
Conclusion Pharmacognostical evaluation on Streblus asper
Lour., root bark provide specific pharmacognostical
parameters useful in scientific evaluation of drug.
Dioecious nature of plant and presence of latex are
important taxonomical characters. Root bark is
identified by above mentioned diagnostic characters.
Acknowledgment
Authors are thankful to Gokula Education
Foundation, Bangalore and VV Pura College of
Science for providing facilities and encouragement.
Authors are also thankful to V Chelladurai of
Tirunelveli for sending authentic drug material.
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