Abstract

CONCEPTUAL AND QUALITY CONTROL ANALYSIS OF CHASSALIA CURVIFLORA – AN EXTRAPHARMACOPEIAL PLANT

Dr. Ashwani Lohia*, Dr. Shrikanth P., Dr. Thejaswi I Naik and Suchitra Prabhu

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Abstract

Background: Chassalia curviflora (Wall.) Thwaites is a member of family Rubiaceae. It is used as a source plant for Sarpagandha by Kani tribe of Kerala. It grows as a weed and is easily available in the costal regions and has a great therapeutic potential as claimed by the folk practitioners. The leaf and root of this drug is used to treat jaundice and wounds. Decoction of root is given as a remedy in Phlegm, rheumatism and pneumonia.[1] Objective: Drug review along with pharmocognistic and phytochemical analysis of root of Chassalia curviflora (Wall.) Thwaites. Methodology: Review of detailed literature of the drug, macroscopy, powder microscopy, physicochemical analysis and HPTLC of the root was done. Results and Conclusion: Microscopy of root of Chassalia curviflora revealed that outermost cork region followed by cortex, phloem, xylem and innermost pith region. Cork has few layers tangentially elongated in radial rows. Loss on drying is 11.16±0.02%, Total ash value is 7.32±0.74%, Acid insoluble ash is 2.56±0.02%, Alcohol soluble extractive value is 5.47±0.02% and water soluble extractive value is 20.12±0.03%. Powder microscopy shows brown masses, cork cells, parenchyma containing stone cells, vessels, bundle of fibres, sclereids, tracheids, lichens and mosses and crystals of calcium oxalate. Phytochemical screening of root of Chassalia curviflora shows presence of alkaloids, carbohydrates, tannins, flavonoids, triterpenoids and quinones. Along with physicochemical standards HPTLC with densitometry determination was also assessed for the root which shows different peaks at short and long UV.

Keywords: Chassalia curviflora, folklore, Anukta dravya, pharmacognostical, phytochemical.