Abstract

PHARMACOGNOSTIC AND PHYSICOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF CANTHIUM COROMANDELICUM

A. Anto Arockia Raj*, J. Vinnarasi and R. Venkataraman

ABSTRACT

Canthium coromandelicum belongs to Rubiaceae family. The present study is to investigate the pharmacognostic and physico-chemical parameters of leaves and stem of C. coromandelicum. The morphological, physico-chemical parameters presented in this paper may be proposed as parameters to identify and establish the authenticity of C. coromandelicum. It is a shrub with opposite horizontal thorns a little above the leaf axis. Bark is grey in color. Leaves are ovate; smooth often fascicled on young shoot, short, and few flowers racemes arise in leaf axils. Flowers are small, yellow with four stamens. Stigma is spherical. Fruits are obovate, furrowed on each side. Flowering and Fruiting from July–August. Various physicochemical parameters were studied such as total ash, acid insoluble ash, water soluble ash, sulphated ash, extractive value, moisture content etc. Various pharmacognostic characters observed in this study help in identification and standardization of C. coromandelicum.

Keywords: Canthium coromandelicum, Pharmacognosy, Physicochemical parameters