Abstract

A COMPARATIVE PHARMACOGNOSTICAL & PHYTOCHEMICAL STUDY ON DIFFERENT PLANT SOURCES OF PARPATAK

Majumder Proshanta, Harisha C. R., Shukla V. J.

Abstract

Being a controversial herb as per different ayurvedic literatures Parpat or Parpatak deserves due clarification for the sake of its true identification & authentication. Literature survey shows more than 10 different plants are being used, substituted or adulterated as Parpatak. Previously Fumaria parviflora Lamk. was vastly accepted as Parpatak in different books & same species was also accepted in A.P.I accordingly. In present research work emphasis has been mainly put on the selected plants to have a ray of light through comparative studies of four source plants to propose a more satisfying & reasonable conclusion on the controversy over Parpatak. The research work was carried out as per standard operating procedures & in accordance with specified protocols. Pharmacognostical & phytochemical studies were carried out in respective laboratory of IPGT & RA, Gujarat Ayurved University. Various synonyms of Parpatak were discussed thoroughly. Then these synonyms were tried to match with different characters of all four plants. Fumaria indica (Hausk) Pugsley was found to match most of the synonyms satisfactorily. The Pharmacognostical study showed presence of rosette crystals in Oldenlandia corymbosa Linn & Mollugo oppositifolia Linn, but were absent in Scoparia dulcis Linn & Fumaria indica (Hausk) Pugsley. Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed presence of Phenolic compound in all the 4 selected plants. The modern research trend also showed that Fumaria indica (Hausk) Pugsley is having pharmacological activity (literature survey) similar to that of Parpatak. With all these data generated in this research work, it may be concluded that Fumaria indica (Hausk) Pugsley is the most suitable candidate to be proposed as the authentic plant source of Parpatak.

Keywords: Parpatak, Comparative, Pharmacognosy, Phytochemical.