Ethnobotanical Leaflets 9: 1-
Pharmacognostic Studies of Some Indigenous Medicinal Plants
of
Abid Mahmood, Mushtaq Ahmad, Asma Jabeen,
Muhammad Zafar* and Saima Nadeem
Department of Botany, University of Arid Agriculture,
Department of Biological Sciences,
mushtaqflora@hotmail.com
Issued
ABSTRACT
Medicinal
plants constitute an effective source of traditional and modern medicines. The
plant is a biosynthetic laboratory, not only for chemical compounds but also a
multitude of the compounds. The present research work was confined to study the
macro, microscopic features and analysis of powdered drug of Acacia modesta Wall., Acacia nilotica
(L.) Delile, Berberis
lycium Royle and Zanthoxylum alatum D. C.
Prod. These studies were carried out in Botany laboratory of
Key words: Pharmacognosy,
Indigenous medicinal plants,
Since the
beginning of human civilization, people have used plants as medicine. Perhaps
as early as Neanderthal man, plants were believed to have healing power. The
earliest uses are found in Babylonian circa 1770 BC in the code of Hammurabi and in ancient
Traditional
Unani medicine is a part of our culture and
In
Many of the plants which are used for various ailments have either not been properly investigated or the findings have not been correlated with phytochemical and pharmacological studies. Medicinal plants are those plants which are used directly or indirectly in the extraction of the drug for the treatment of ailments. Medicinal plant botanists are trying to explore the precious assets of medicinal plants for the suffering humanity. In the world 30% of the pharmaceutical preparations are manufactured from plants (Khan, 1979).
The present work
is also in continuation of the exploration of medicinal wealth of
Keeping in view the medicinal importance of these selected species, the objectives of the present study are:
� To study the anatomy, powdered drug analysis and chemical tests of selected species.
� To investigate the indigenous medicinal plants for pharmacognosy and pharmacology which might be useful for further investigation by botanists, pharmacologists, microbiologists, phytochemists or some other academic disciplines.
� Studies of indigenous medicinal plants to disseminate the dynamics of local knowledge and challenge modern health care development.
MATERIALS
�MATERIAL COLLECTION
The plant material was collected from the natural habitat of various localities. Branches of Acacia modesta Wall. and Acacia nilotica were collected from hills of district Attock. Branches of Berberis lycium Royle and Zanthoxylum alatum D. C. Prod. were collected from Murree hills. The branches were cleaned, washed and dried under shade for 20 days and in the oven for 24 hours at 100 �C. Then branches were cut into small pieces.
�POWDERED
DRUG
The dried small pieces of branches were powdered by means of pistil and mortar and electric grinder. The macroscopic study was made. The physical characters of powdered drug that are colour, smell and taste were studied. The powdered drug was numbered and preserved in the bottles to avoid contamination.
�HISTOLOGY
The
microscopic features of the powdered drug were studied in 1% chloral hydrate, glycerine and Iodine solution. For permanent mounting the safranin, hemotoxylon and xylene were used. The various tissues were identified and microphotography were done with the help of
�CHEMICAL
ANALYSIS OF POWDERED DRUG
The simple method to determine the solubility of powdered drug was adopted. 5 gram powdered drug was mixed in 20 ml� sulphuric acid, hydrochloric acid, acetic acid, benzene and water. Each test tube was shaken and boiled. Method followed is that of Evers and Smith (1955). The retention of original colour of powdered materials were noted in various solvents in cold and hot conditions. Filter paper was also used to find out change in colour.��
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
1. Acacia modesta �Wall.
Macroscopic and Anatomical Features
Acacia modesta Wall. locally known as phulai belongs to family Mimosaceae. It is a medium size deciduous tree grows on stony grounds and rarely found on salt range. The flowers (March-May) are pale white to pale yellow fragrant growing in bunches. It is mainly used in making agricultural implements, fodder, timber, fuel and apicultural purposes. Medicinally it is used for gas trouble and its young twigs are used for cleaning teeth, dental disorders and dental problems. Its miswak is approximately 20 cm long with 2 cm in diameter. It is slightly curved and tough with� pleasant taste.
Acacia modesta Wall. wood showed vessels with few cells and parenchyma cells. Fibres were also found. Pith consisted of rounded cells.
Chemical Analysis
The powdered miswak of Acacia modesta Wall. was soluble only in sulphuric acid. It did not retain its original dark yellow colour on dry filter paper and in various solvents by cold and hot tests (Table 1, 2). Dastagir and Haq (1995) also reported similar features of Acacia modesta Wall., Azadirachta indica and Dodonaea viscosa.
Table-1��� Solubility and colour
analysis of powdered drug of selected medicinal plants in various solvents by
cold and hot method.
��������
���Acacia modesta Wall. ��������������� ������� Acacia
nilotica (L.) Delile������ Berberis
lycium Royle Royle����������� Zanthoxylum alatum D. C. Prod
Solvents
|
Cold Test
|
Hot Test
|
Cold Test
|
Hot Test
|
Cold Test
|
Hot Test
|
Cold Test
|
Hot Test
|
Colour�� solubility |
Colour� solubility |
Colour� solubility |
Colour� solubility |
Colour� solubility |
Colour� solubility |
Colour
solubility |
Colour�� solubility |
|
Sulphuric� Acid |
Dark������� Sol. brown |
Brownish���� Sol. black |
Reddish��� Insol. Brown |
Dark�������� Insol. Brown |
Dark������� sol. Brown |
Brownish���� Sol. black |
Dark������� sol. Brown |
Dark������� sol. Brown |
Hydrochl-oric Acid |
Greenish�� Insol. |
Conker���� Insol. |
Marool������ Insol. |
Conker���� Insol. |
Brownish���� Insol. Black |
Conker���� Insol. |
Greenish�� Insol. |
Conker��� p.sol. |
Acetic Acid |
Yellow����� Insol. |
Dark�������� Insol. Yellow |
Light�������� Insol. Red |
Light��������� Insol. Red |
Light����������� Insol. Red |
Copper���� Insol. |
Light�������� Insol. Red |
Golden��� Insol. Brown |
Benzene |
Yellow����� Insol. |
Dark�������� Insol. Mustard |
Light ��������Insol. Mustard |
Light �������������������� Insol. Brown |
Light����������� Insol. Mustard |
Mustard��� Insol. |
Mustard��� Insol. |
Dark������� Insol. Mustard |
Water |
Light�������� Insol. Yellow |
Light�������� Insol. Yellow |
Butter������� Insol. Scotch |
Golden��� Insol. Brown |
Light����������� Insol. Yellow |
Dark�������� Insol. Brown |
Golden�� Insol. Brown |
Brown�� Insol. |
Table 2.�� Colour analysis of powdered drug of
selected medicinal plants in various solvents with known volume by filter
paper.
����������
���� �Acacia modesta� ����������������������������������� �Acacia nilotica�� ���� ����������������������������������������������� �Berberis lycium ���������������������������������������Zanthoxylum alatum
Solvents
|
volume
|
Actual colour of powdered drug |
Colour in solvents |
Colour on filter paper |
volume |
Actual colour of powdered drug |
Colour in solvents |
Colour on filter paper |
volume
|
Actual colour of powdered drug |
Colour in solvents |
Colour on filter paper |
volume
|
Actual colour of powdered drug |
Colour in solvents |
Colour on filter paper |
Sulph-uric Acid |
4ml |
Dark Brown |
Dark Brown |
conker |
4ml |
Light maroon |
Reddish Brown |
Light brown |
4ml |
Light brown |
Dark brown |
Dark copper |
4ml |
Dark grey |
Dark brown |
Dark copper |
Hydro-chloric
Acid |
4ml |
Dark Brown |
Greenish |
No. colour |
4ml |
Light maroon |
Maroon |
Light copper |
4ml |
Light brown |
Brownish black |
No. colour |
4ml |
Dark grey |
Greenish Brown |
No. Colour |
Acetic Acid |
4ml |
Dark Brown |
Yellow |
No. colour |
4ml |
Light maroon |
Light Red |
No. Colour |
4ml |
Light brown |
Light red |
Off White |
4ml |
Dark grey |
Light Red |
Off White |
Benzene |
4ml |
Dark Brown |
Yellow |
No. colour |
4ml |
Light maroon |
Light mustard |
No. colour |
4ml |
Light brown |
Light mustard |
No. Colour |
4ml |
Dark grey |
Mustard |
No. Colour |
Water |
4ml |
Dark Brown |
Light Yellow |
No. colour |
4ml |
Light maroon |
Butter scotch |
No. colour |
4ml |
Light brown |
Light Yellow |
No. Colour |
4ml |
Dark grey |
Golden brown |
No. colour |
2. Acacia nilotica Linn.
Macroscopic and Anatomical Features
Acacia nilotica Linn. locally known as kikar belongs to family Mimosaceae. It is a moderately size erect tree. Bark is dark brown, rough and often longitudinally fissured. Flowers in globose heads, golden yellow and scented. Leaves bipinnate, 4-9 pairs and leaflets 20-40 pairs. Its tender branches are used as fodder for goats and sheep. Bark medicinally used in toothache. Seeds useful in treating stomach complaints and skin disorders. Leaves are good for treatment of diarrhoea. Its miswak is approximately 22 cm long with 1.66 cm in diameter. It is curved and tough with sweet but slightly bitter taste.
����������� Acacia nilotica wood showed solitary vessels with few multiple of 2-3 cells and with rare occurrence of some unknown irregular clusters and abundant paratracheal parenchyma. Fibres are rounded while rays are two celled wide exclusively uniseriate and few biseriate rays. Pith consisted of� rounded cells without intercellular spaces.
Chemical Analysis
The powdered miswak of Acacia nilotica was partially soluble in sulphuric acid only. It did not retain its original light maroon colour in various solvents by cold and hot tests and on dry filter paper (Table 1,2 ).
3. Berberis lycium Royle Royle.
Macroscopic and Anatomical Features�������������������������������������������
Berberis lycium Royle locally
known as simlu belongs to family Berberidaceae.� It is found in the northern areas of
Chemical Analysis
����������� The powdered miswak of Berberis lycium Royle was soluble only in sulphuric acid. It did not retain its original light brown colour in various solvents by cold and hot tests and on dry filter paper (Table 1,2).
4. Zanthoxylum alatum D. C. Prod
Roxb.
Macroscopic and Anatomical Features
Zanthoxylum alatum D. C. Prod locally known as Timur belongs to family Rutaceae. It is a aromatic, prickly dioecious or rarely monoecious evergreen tree, or shrub with dense foliage mainly pantropical, though also distributed in the subtropics. It grows widely in the hilly tracts of Murre, Galliyat etc. The plant,s bark, fruits and seeds are extensively used in indigenous system of medicine as carminative, stomachic and anthelmintic. The bark is pungent and is used to clean the teeth. The fruit and seeds are employed as aromatic tonic in fever and dyspepsia. The extract of the fruit is reported to be effective for expelling round worms. The fragrant twigs are chewed for cleaning teeth.
It ranges from a shrub to a small-sized tree, yet sometimes attaining a height of 45 feet. The bark is beset with verrucose prickles. The leaves are odd-pinnate; the leaflets from 5 to17 in number, ovate-lanceolate, unequilateral, the terminal one only being equilateral, shining and smooth on the upper surface. The flowers are plentiful, of a greenish hue, appear before the leaves, and have but 3 pistils.
����������� The wood showed vessels, fibres, pith with few cells. The two official barks are curved or quilled fragments, about 1 Mm. thick; outer surface brownish-gray, inner surface whitish in colour.
Chemical Analysis
����������� The powdered miswak of Zanthoxylum alatum D. C. Prod was soluble in sulphuric acid only. It did not retain its original dark grey colour in various solvents by cold and hot tests and on the dry filter paper (Table 1,2).
CONCLUSION
It is concluded that medicinal plants have contributed hugely
to the traditional and western medicines through providing ingredients for
drugs or having played central roles in the drug discovery.
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