J.Jeevan Kumar et al. / Journal of Pharmacy Research 2012,5(2),1221-1223 Research Article Available online through ISSN: 0974-6943 http://jprsolutions.info Pharmacognostical study on Whole of dulcis L J.Jeevan Kumar1, T.Joytsna1, Pidipati Vinay Kumar1, Arasan Elayaraja2* and Sheikh Abdul Rahman3 1.Research scholar, Narayana Pharmacy College, Nellore. Andhra Pradesh state. 2.Research scholar, Department of Pharmacology, Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Viswa Mahavidyalaya (Deemed University), Enathur, Kanchipuram district, Tamil Nadu state. 3.Professor, Nirmala college of Pharmacy, Atmakur, Mangalagiri, Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh state. Received on:10-11-2011; Revised on: 15-12-2011; Accepted on:12-01-2012

ABSTRACT The present study deals about the pharmacognostical evaluation of whole plant of Scoparia dulcis L. Morphology of the entire plant was studied. With the aim to aid pharmacognostic and taxonomic species identification using various parameters on leaf, stem twigs and root which includes the various morphological, microscopical, extract and powder characters which finally establishes the authenticity of Scoparia dulcis L and can possibly differentiate the drug from other species/varieties.

Key words: Scoparia dulcis L, Leaf parameters, Ashvalues, Extract values,etc.

INTRODUCTION Scoparia dulcis L (fam: Scrophulariaceae) is commonly called as broom Microscopic studies weed. It’s vernacular names are sarkaraivembu or neernangai (Tamil), The transverse sections for the leaf, stem and root were prepared and they Peshanabheda (Sanskrit) and Kallurukki (Malayalam).It is growing natu- were stained properly. The various parts mentioned were boiled separately rally in many parts of as a weed. Its ayurvedic properties are tikta, with saturated chloral hydrate solution5-9 for surface studies and quantita- laku, seta and katu. The whole plant is used in traditional medicines such as tive microscopical evaluation of those parts. The microscopical nature of ayurvedic and siddha formulations for treatment of renal and vesical canali- those sections were carried out and labelled properly.The powdered study culi, fever, wounds, ulcer, skin diseases, diarrhea, antidote, stomach troubles, was carried out and they were discused with stained sections. The physico- hypertension, diabetes, inflammation, bronchitis, hemorrhoids and hepatosis chemical values such as ash values, soluble extractives, crude fibre content and as an analgesic in dysmenorrhea and leucorrhea conditions1-2. It is widely content and foreign matter content were calculated as per the Indian Phar- distributed in many tropical countries and is found in abundance in Cambo- macopoeia10-11 and fluorescence analysis of crude powder were estimated dia, Laos, Java, Sumatra, Vietnam, , South America and Amazon rain using various chemical and organic reagents. forests. In many areas herb is considered as an invasive weed. The present study was undertaken to estabilish the genunity of the herbal weed3-4. Determination of Leaf parameters Leaf fragments were observed under microscope for the presence and quan- MATERIALS AND METHODS tification of pidermal cells and using camera lucida the parameters such as stomatal index, palisade cells, vein islet number and vein termintion number Plant material were evaluated. The entire herb Scoparia dulcis L was collected from Acharya N.G.Ranga Agricultural University, Muthukur Road, Nellore. The plant was authenti- RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS cated by Dr.S.Md.Khasim, Head, Department of Botany, Acharya Nagarjuna University, Guntur. A plant specimen was also planted in the medicinal Macroscopic studies garden of Narayana Pharmacy college and a voucher specimen(BN/PE/008) The erect herb is planted in the herbal garden, Narayana Pharmacy college, was also submitted to the head of the Institution Nellore (Fig. 1). It is an erect annual much-branched foetid herb with 3- nately whorled, glanduler, serrate leaves 1.3-3.8 cm., rhomboid or elliptic Experimental Activity with tapering base, serrate The leaf is dark green in colour with more After the whole plant was collected including the roots, they were washed pubescence(Fig. 2). Flowers 3-6 from each whorl on slender 8-13 mm., with fresh water to remove the soily and adhered matters. It was subjected subglobose, valves ultimately 2-fid, that grows to a height of 0.5 meters(Fig. for various Macroscopical pharmacognostical studies. Again sufficient 3).Both surfaces of leaf have pinnate venation and having prominent vein- were dried under shade at room temperature and fumigated. Then lets (Fig. 4). It is pungent odour and produce giddiness on smelt. It is bitter they were powdered by using a pulveriser and sieved with 40 mesh. They in taste. were subjected for microscopical studies.

Macroscopic studies The macroscopy was carried out to determine the nature of the plant, organoleptic properties(colour, odour, taste, size, shape and extra features) of the whole plant.

*Corresponding author. Arasan Elayaraja Research scholar, Department of Pharmacology, Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Viswa Mahavidyalaya (Deemed University), Enathur, Kanchipuram district, Tamil Nadu, India. Figure 1 Scoparia dulcis in the college herbarium

Journal of Pharmacy Research Vol.5 Issue 2.February 2012 1221-1223 J.Jeevan Kumar et al. / Journal of Pharmacy Research 2012,5(2),1221-1223 and xylem on inside. Pith consists on central region of the stem. Medullary rays are also present between the vascular bundles(Fig.7).

Figure 2 Section of Plant twig Figure 3 Flower tops of scoparia dulcis

Microscopic studies

Transverse section of leaf

The leaf shows dorventral in natre. It has paracytic stomata on both surfaces and water pores at the apex of most of the mar- ginal teeth. The trichomes are multicellular and glandular stalk. Figute 4 Individual leaf of Scoparia The glandular trichomes(Fig.6) are an important feature which dulcis L are branched and are closely located near the veins. It contains calcium oxalate and collenchymas. Starch grains are also present in the mesodermis. Figure 7 Transverse section of stem It also shows the presence of tannic acid and phenolic constituents which are stained in dark brown and pink colour (Fig.5). Transverse section of root Epiblema is found in the outer layer. Covered by the cuticle. It consists of thin walled rectangular parenchymatous cells. The pith is present at the centre of the Pericycle is arranged within the medullary rays and the med- ullary rays are radiated from the centre of the root TS to the outer covered epidermis. Vascular bundles and medullary rays are radially arranged. En- dodermis is constituted by the inner cortical layers(Fig.8).

Figure 5 Transverse section of leaf Transverse section of stem It contains the epidermis outer layer with closely arranged cells. These cells are covered with cuticle. It contains more stem unicellular hairs. The Figure 8 Transverse section of root hypodermis also consists of more collenchymatous cells Quantitative studies with thin walled. Cortex con- The quantitative parameters such as length and width of phloem fibers, sists of thin walled parenchy- xylem vessels and calcium oxalate crystals, diameter of starch grains, Sto- matous cells. Vascular bundles matal number of lower and upper epidermis and stomatal index, Vein islet are arranged inside the the ring number, Veinlet termination number, Palisade ratio, Length and width of in a pericycle.Each bundles Multicellular and Glandular Trichomes had been studied and tabulated (Table.1) Figure 6 Stained trichomes showing branched glandu- consists of phloem on outside lar trichomes Journal of Pharmacy Research Vol.5 Issue 2.February 2012 1221-1223 J.Jeevan Kumar et al. / Journal of Pharmacy Research 2012,5(2),1221-1223 Table -1 Quantitative microscopy entire plant powder of Scoparia dulcis L. Table – 3 Fluorescence analysis of Scoparia dulcis L. Parameter Values Solvents used Day light UV Light (254nm) UV Light (366nm)

Phloem fibers (width) 3-4µ Conc.H2SO4 Green Greenish Brown Brownish Black Phloem fibers (length) 38-41 µ 50% H2SO4 Brown Blackish green Green Starch grains (diameter) 1-2µ Conc.Hcl Strong yellow Brownish green Green Calcium oxalate crystals (length) 3-5/mm2 50%Hcl Light yellow Yellow Yellow Calcium oxalate crystals(width) 1-3/mm2 Ammonia Pale yellow Brown Green Stomatal number (lower epidermis) 19 HNO3 Green Pale yellow Brown Stomatal index (lower epidermis) 25.6 50% HNO3 Greenish yellow Green Brown Stomatal number (upper epidermis) 13 5% Fecl3 Pale yellow Ruthenium red Brownish red Stomatal index (upper epidermis) 20.9 5% KOH Yellow Light yellow Pale yellow Vein islet number 9/ mm2 Methanol Greenish brown Brownish black Dark black Veinlet termination number 6 / mm2 1N Methanol Light yellow Pale yellow Pale yellow Palisade ratio 1:4 1N Methanolic Brownish yellow Brown Brownish green Length of Multicellular Trichomes 14-20 µ KOH Width of Multicellular Trichomes 4-6 µ Length of Glandular trichomes 7-8 µ CONCLUSION Width of Glandular trichomes 3-4 µ The pharmacognostic parameters which are being reported for the first time Length of xylem vessels 38-82µ Width of xylem vessels 8-16 µ could be useful in the identification and standardization of a crude drug. The data produced in the present investigation is also helpful in the preparation of the crude drug’s monograph and inclusion in various pharmacopoeia. Table -2 Physico chemical properties of entire plant powder of Scoparia dulcis L. Quantitative Parameter Values %w/w REFERENCES:

Total ash value 68 1. www.amrutaayurved.org\scopariadulcisL.html Acid insoluble ash 43 2. The Healing power of Rainforest Herbs. 2005, Square One Pub- Water soluble ash 56 lisher, New York. Sulphated ash 39 3. Mohan VR et al. Ethnomedicinal Plants of the Tirunelveli District, Moisture content 19.88 Tamil Nadu,India. Ethnobotanical Leaflets. 2008:12; 79-95. 4. www.minvarthagam.com Foreign matter 55.62 st Alcohol soluble extract value 73.432 5. Johansen DA. Plant microtechnique. 1 edn.MC Graw Hill Publica- Water soluble extract value 11 tions, New York. 1940:182. Crude fiber content 52.6 6. Mukherjee PK. Quality control of herbal drugs. Business Horizon’s Publications, New Delhi. 2002:138-141. 7. Khandelwal KR. Practical Pharmacognosy techniques and experi- ments. Nirali Prakshan Publications, Pune. 9th edn. 2002:220-222. Physico Chemical Properties 8. Kokatae CK. Practical Pharmacognosy. Vallabh Prakshan Publica- The physico-chemical characters of powdered drug of whole plant of tions, New Delhi. 2008:149-156. Scoparia dulcis L had been studied. The powdered characters such as per- 9. Radhika B et al. Phytochemical evaluation of leaves of Bixa centage of total ash, acid-insoluble ash, water-soluble ash, sulphated ash, orellana.Pharmacognosy Journal.2(7);2010:132-136. alcohol soluble extractives, moisture content and foreign matter(Table.2).The 10. Trease and Evans. In:Pharmacognosy. 15th edn. WB Saunders Publi- cations, Edin burgh, New York. 2002:519-547. fluorescence analysis of the powdered drug of Scoparia dulcis L in various nd solvents and chemical data produced in the present investigation was per- 11. In: The Indian Pharmacopeia, Government of India, New Delhi. 2 edn.1996:Appendix A1-A236. formed under normal and Ultra Violet (UV) light (Table 3). 12. Peach K et al. Modern methods of plant analysis, Vols:3-4;1955. Source of support: Nil, Conflict of interest: None Declared

Journal of Pharmacy Research Vol.5 Issue 2.February 2012 1221-1223