Abstract

MICROSCOPIC AND PHYSICOCHEMICAL EVALUATION OF LEAVES OF CICHORIUM INTYBUS LINN

Dr. Raj Kumari*, Professor Mohd. Ali, Dr. Vidhu Aeri and Meenakshi Sharma

ABSTRACT

To study the pharmacognostic characters of a medicinally important plant Cichorium intybus Linn. In the present investigations an attempt has been made for the pharmacognostic standardization of leaves of C. intybus using various pharmacognostic parameters involved in organoleptic, microscopic, physicochemical constants, phytochemical screening, heavy metals analysis and TLC fingerprint profile. The plant is used to treat AIDS, cancer, diabetes, dysmenhorrhoea, impotence, insomnia, splentis and tachycardia. Result of the study indicate that besides the characteristic features like, leaf was dorsiventral, mesomorphic, hypostomatic and had prominent midrib and thin lamina, vessel elements were 250 μm long and 40 μm wide, large black irregular masses of bodies which possess unknown cell content and oil bodies of varying sizes etc., fluorescence analysis and thin layer chromatographic pattern of different extract can serve as finger prints of drug. The phytochemical screening revealed the presence of different phyto-constituents viz. alkaloids, glycosides, steroids, triterpenoids, sugar, tannins and flavanoids etc, were detected. Hence, the scientific data generated will have potential utilization to determine correct identity, adulterants as well as for standardization and quality control of raw material used in the development of medicaments.

Keywords: Physico-chemical values, Heavy metal analysis, HPTLC, Microscopy, Pharmacognostic evaluation, standardization.