Ethnobotanical
Leaflets 12: 1283-89. 2008. Pharmacognostical and Preliminary
Phytochemical Studies of Leaves of Tridax procumbens L. Kiran Prajapati1, D. Singh2, S.B. Mishra1,
P. Dubey3 & B. Sangameswaran1 1Department of Pharmacognosy, Vinayaka Mission�s College of
pharmacy, 2Saroj 3National Botanical Research Institute 1For correspondence: kiranprajapati04@gmail.com Issued
ABSTRACT ����������� Pharmacognostical
parameters for the leaves of Tridax procumbens L were studied with the aim of drawing the
pharmacopoeial standards for this species. Macroscopical and microscopical
characters, physico-chemical constants, extractive
values, fluorescence analysis of dry powder and its reaction after treatment
with chemical reagents under visible light and UV light at 254 nm and 366 nm
were studied. The determination of these characters will aid future
investigators in their Pharmacological analyses of this species. Keywords: Pharmacognostic,
Phytochemical,
Tridax procumbens L, Asteraceae. INTRODUCTION ����������� A
hispid, procumbent herb, with woody base, some time rooting at nodes, up to
60 cm. high1, 2, found as a weed in cultivated and other disturbed
habitats throughout ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY ����������� The leaves
are reportedly used to treat bronchial catarrh dysentry
and diarrhoea and as a hair restorative. In
southern Orissa a paste prepared from the whole
plant is taken orally to relieve diarrhoea. A fine
paste of the leaves is applied externally to reduce swelling of hemorrhoids
by the Urash in southern But no Pharmacognostical
work has been done so far. Therefore, an attempt has been made to study the Pharmacognostic parameters on the leaves of
Tridax procumbens L. in both whole form
and powdered form. Table 1.� Macroscopy
of Tridax procumbens L.
Materials and Methods Plant
material The
plant material was collected from the National botanical research Methods ����������� The macroscopical
characters (size, shape colour, odour,
texture, margin, base, apex and petiole) of the leaves were observed3,1. Then, anatomical study, powder was identified
with routine reagents to study the lignified cells, trichomes,
stomata, fibres etc. Quantitative microscopy was
determined by methods prescribed by Trease and
Evans12,13. The
ash values, extractive values with various reagents and were determined as
per the Indian Pharmacopoeia14. Extractive values were performed
with various solvents like Haxen, alcohol and water
was performed as per standard procedure. Measurement of vein islet number,
vein termination number, Stomatal number, Stomatal index and length of Trichome
were determined15. The behavior of powdered leaves with various
chemical reagents was studied. The fluorescence characters of the powder with
various acids were observed under visible light and UV light as per the procedure.
Preliminary Phytochemical tests of the
powder/extracts were performed using specific reagents through standard
procedures16,17. RESULTS Analysis
and Discussion ����������� Leaves were green, characteristic
odour with slight bitter taste. Leaves
are of size 3-7 cm in length, lanceolate in shape,
acute � apex, wedge-shaped base, irregularly toothed margin, and short petiole.
The physical constants such as total ash value (11.88%), acid insoluble ash (3.05%),
water soluble ash (2.14%), sulphated ash (20.11)
and extractive values are specific identification. The soluble extractive
values with different solvents such as Haxen,
ethanol and water were (8.90%, 07.17% and 28.16%) respectively, which
indicates the nature of constituents present. Quantitative microscopical study also give valuable information
regarding specific leaf constants such as vein islet upper and lower
epidermis(32.33/mm2 and 20.66/mm2),vein termination
number upper and lower epidermis (32.66/mm2 and 19.66/mm2
), Stomatal index upper and lower epidermis (30.12
and 36.31).� Trichome
number upper and lower epidermis (9.66 and 21.33). Loss on drying (13.00%).
The behavior of leaf powder upon treatment with different chemical reagents
was also observed and reported in Table -5. Preliminary Phytochemical
screening revealed the presence glycoside, flavonoids,
Tannins, mucilage, carbohydrate and reducing sugar. MICROSCOPICAL
CHARACTER Petiole ����������� Kidney
shaped towards the distal end and crescent shaped towards the laminal side. Single layered epidermis covered with
cuticle and interrupted by simple, multicellular,
3-5 celled trichomes. Hypodermis 1-2 celled collenchymatous. Ground tissue parenchymatous;
vascular bundles 5, the size of the vascular bundles various from centre to
margin i.e. Large to small. These are centripetal i.e. xylem surrounded by
the phloem. Leaf ����������� T.S.
leaf is dorsiventral, epidermis single
layered on both the surfaces and covered with thick cuticle. T.S. passing
through the mid rib region shows slight depression on ventral side and
slightly protuberated on dorsal size. Trichomes are
simple, multicelled (3-6 celled) and more in number
on dorsal side. The basal cells of the Trichome are
swollen and Trichome looks like claw. Meristeel consists of single centrally located collateral
vascular bundle surrounded by some parenchymatous
cells filled with dark content. ����������� T.S.
passing through the laminar region shows single layered palisade cells just
below the appear epidermis followed by 5-7 celled mesophyll parenchyma mostly devoid of inter cellular
spaces.
Abbreviations: cu, cuticle; le, lower epidermis; pal,
palisade cells; sm, spongy mesophyll;
t, Trichome; vb, vascular
bundle. Powder A � I (A and B, simple Trichome;
C, glandular Trichome; D, Trichome
base; E, laticifers and vessels; F and G, stone
cell; H, spiral vascular bundle; I, laticifers and
with adjacent parenchyma) Powder
analysis of Tridax
procumbens L. ����������� It is dark green, fine, odorless
powder with slight bitter taste. The powder microscopy reveals the presence
of different types of (Glandular and Non Glandular) Trichomes,
trichome base, fibres,
stone cells, laticifers with adjacent parenchyma. Spiral
thickenings vascular bundles. Table 2.
Determination of Ash Values Tridax procumbens L.
Table 3. �Determination of Extractive Values Tridax procumbens L.
Table 4. Determination of phytoconstants Tridax procumbens
L.
Table 5. Behavior of Powdered leaves of Tridax procumbens
L. with different �����������������������������������������������������������
Chemical reagents.
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