Abstract

DEVELOPMENT OF QUALITY STANDARDS OF ROOT BARK OF GMELINA ARBOREA

Manpreet Kaur* and Beenu Bajaj

ABSTRACT

The present study provides a detailed summary of quality standards of root bark of Gmelina arborea. The findings of macroscopic studies unveiled that the color of pieces of roots were internally pale brown and externally dark brown. The odour was faint characteristic and taste was astringent. Fracture was friable and texture of bark was rough externally and longitudinally ridged. Transverse section of root bark showed the presence of many layers of cork; cortex containing groups of stone cells; medullary rays, phloem and stone cells. Powder microscopy of root bark revealed the presence of cork, stone cells, starch grains, pericylic fibre and calcium oxalate crystals. The root bark of Gmelina arborea showed the characteristic physicochemical values like Total ash (2.5%), acid insoluble ash (0.82%), water soluble ash (0.9%), Alcohol soluble extractive value (3.0%), water soluble extractive value (2.8%), loss on drying (1%) and foreign matter (0.2%). Various pharmacognostic characters observed in the above study helps in standardization, identification and establishments of quality parameters of plant. The present study provides a detailed summary of quality standards of root bark of Gmelina arborea. The findings of macroscopic studies unveiled that the color of pieces of roots were internally pale brown and externally dark brown. The odour was faint characteristic and taste was astringent. Fracture was friable and texture of bark was rough externally and longitudinally ridged. Transverse section of root bark showed the presence of many layers of cork; cortex containing groups of stone cells; medullary rays, phloem and stone cells. Powder microscopy of root bark revealed the presence of cork, stone cells, starch grains, pericylic fibre and calcium oxalate crystals. The root bark of Gmelina arborea showed the characteristic physicochemical values like Total ash (2.5%), acid insoluble ash (0.82%), water soluble ash (0.9%), Alcohol soluble extractive value (3.0%), water soluble extractive value (2.8%), loss on drying (1%) and foreign matter (0.2%). Various pharmacognostic characters observed in the above study helps in standardization, identification and establishments of quality parameters of plant.

Keywords: Gmelina arborea, Microscopic studies, Physicochemical constants, Standardization, quality standards.