703 | P a g e International Standard Serial Number (ISSN): 2319-8141 International Journal of Universal Pharmacy and Bio Sciences 3(3): May-June 2014 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF UNIVERSAL PHARMACY AND BIO SCIENCES IMPACT FACTOR 1.89*** ICV 5.13*** Pharmaceutical Sciences RESEARCH ARTICLE……!!! MICROMORPHOLOGICAL AND MICROMETRIC EVALUATION OF RADERMACHERA XYLOCARPA (ROXB.) ROXB EX. K.SCHUM FLOWER Sneha Kalaskar1, Harisha CR2, B.R.Patel3 , Switu Jani4 1MD Scholar, Dravyaguna Dept, IPGT&RA, G.A.U, Jamnagar. 2Head, Pharmacognosy Laboratory, IPGT&RA, G.A.U, Jamnagar. 3Assistant Professor, Dravyaguna Department, IPGT&RA, G.A.U, Jamnagar. 4PhD. Scholar Pharmacognosy. IPGT&RA, G.A.U, Jamnagar. KEYWORDS: ABSTRACT Radermachera xylocarpa (Roxb.) Roxb ex. K.schum belongs to Bignonaceae. Flower Bignonaceae, the family of flowering plants. In Ayurveda, it is considered as micrometry, Patala, one of the source plant for one variety of Patala i.e. Ghantapatala or it may Radermachera xylocarpa be simply an unauthorized substitute for iti. Review of literature reveals that (Roxb.) Roxb ex. K.schum. flower has not been studied in detail for pharmacognostical characters, which For Correspondence: is an essential parameter for identification of a crude drug. Hence, the present Sneha Kalaskar * study was undertaken with an aim to study the micromorphological and Address: micrometric evaluation of flower of the plant. The variations in microscopic characters of flower can be helpful in identification of authentic drug and MD (Ayu)Scholar, adulterants. Pedicel shows outer single layer of epidermis with cuticle Dept.of Dravyaguna, interrupted by multicellular trichomes with oil globules, sessile, glandular IPGT&RA Jamnagar, trichomes. Outer epidermis of Calyx shows thick cuticle and interrupted by multicellular multi-branched trichomes, Thus, flower microscopy brings GAU, Gujarat. scientific knowledge and understanding of floral characters which helps in identification in the crude drugs as well as in the powder form. Full Text Available On www.ijupbs.com 704 | P a g e International Standard Serial Number (ISSN): 2319-8141 INTRODUCTION: Dashamoola is important group of ten plants whose roots are used for a variety of purposes. As uprooting destroys plant forever, substitution of a particular plant as well as part used is need of an hour, not only to overcome the scarcity of the medicinal plants but also to preserve it. Radermachera xylocarpa (Roxb.) Roxb ex. K.schum is from the Genus Radermachera belongs to family Bignonaceae and have Stereospermum xylocarpum (Roxb.) K.Schum. as its synonym.1 “Indian medicinal Plants” (C.P.Khare)2 reported that Radermachera xylocarpa (Roxb.) Roxb ex. K.schum can be used as substitute for Stereospermum suaveolens (Roxb.) DC. which is a well known drug as Patala from Dashamoola. Review of literature reveals that flower has not been studied in details for pharmacognostical characters, which is an essential parameter for identification of species. Hence, the present study was carried out for the micromorphological and micrometric evaluation of flower of the Radermachera xylocarpa (Roxb.) Roxb ex. K.schum. MATERIALS AND METHOD: PHARMACOGNOSTICAL EVALUATION: Collection and preservation: Collection of flowers samples are done as per standard protocols.3 Morphological study: Collected flowers were observed carefully for its identical morphological characters. Morphological characters like colour, shape, size were noted down. Microscopic evaluation: Fresh flowers were taken for detailed microscopic study.4,5 Free hand sections of various parts like peduncle, pedicel, sepals, petals, etc. were taken. The sections were cleared with chloral hydrate and observed under microscope for the presence of any crystal. Then, the sections were stained with phloroglucinol and hydrochloric acid and observed for lignified elements like fibres, vessel etc. Microphotographs were taken by using Carl Zeiss Trinocular microscope attached with camera. Same procedure was followed for detailed powder microscopy.6 Micrometry: Sepals, petals, pollen grains, trichomes and other important characters were measured for its length, breadth. Mean value was taken into consideration and noted down. Micrometric evaluation was carried out with the help Carl Zeiss Trinocular microscope attached with camera with preloaded micrometric analysis software.7 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Collection: The fresh fully bloomed flowers of Radermachera xylocarpa (Roxb.) Roxb ex. K.schum along with the pedicel were collected from the botanical garden of Sasoi, Jamnagar, Gujarat, India in the month of March 2014. Voucher specimen (Phm-6123/ 2014) of the herbarium was deposited in the Full Text Available On www.ijupbs.com 705 | P a g e International Standard Serial Number (ISSN): 2319-8141 Pharmacognosy laboratory of the institute. Morphological Study: Flowers: Inflorescence many flowered, panicles. Bracts: Basal part of the flower with 0.4cm, oblong scaly leaf like structure yellowbrowinsh in colour. Pedicel: 2 cm long. Stout pubescent slightly thickened upward. Calyx: 1.7cm long, slightly bilobed outer 2 sub herbaceous, very broad, pubescent, 3 inner membranous, all enlarged, purplish in colour. Corolla: 5 creamish yellow outside, funnel shaped or broadly campanulate membrenous, 6cm long, bilipped, inside at the base tomentose, twisted aestivation. Androecium: Stamens- 4 didynamous 2.7cm, 2cm respectively, epipetalous, filament long. Anther lobes pink, slightly sagittate, dorsifixed and introrse. Gynoecium: Hypogynous, 3cm, Ovary superior, Bicarpillary, syncarpous, , bilocular, further due formation of false septum septated into tetra locule, placentation axial, Style long, stigma bilobed. (Figure 1, 2,3). xiii Flower Formula: Br, Brl, +, , K (5) , C(5) , A2+2, G (2). Microscopical study: T.S. of Pedicel: Radius of T.S. of pedicel: 1.8mm2, shows outer single layer of epidermis with cuticle interrupted by multicellular trichomes with oil globules, sessile, glandular trichomes. Some of the epidermal cells filled with pinkish colour. Cortex made up of parenchyma cells. Some of the parenchyma cells filled with oil globules. Endodermis single layer followed by discontinuous patches (2-5 celled) of pericyclic fibers. Vascular bundles radially arranged. Metaxylem situated towards epidermis protxylem towards pith along with xylem parenchyma and its fibers. Phloem situated above the xylem with some sieve elements and fibers. Centrally large pith consists of parenchyma cells, rarely prismatic crystals of calcium oxalate were observed. Multicellular trichome measures about: 2mm×0.2mm Glandular trichome : 0.3mm×0.2mm. (Fig-4,5,6). T.S. of Calyx: Somewhat boat shaped made up of outer & inner epidermis. Outer epidermis with thick cuticle and interrupted by multicellular multibranched trichomes, measures about 2.3mm×0.2mm. Some of the outer epidermal cells filled with pinkish coloured pigments. Ground tissue consists of irregularly arranged aerenchyma cells towards the inner epidermis and compactly arranged parenchyma cells Full Text Available On www.ijupbs.com 706 | P a g e International Standard Serial Number (ISSN): 2319-8141 towards outer epidermis, Vascular bundles distributed throughout the section. Some of the parenchyma cells consist of microcrystals and brown contents. (Fig-7,8,9) T.S. of Corolla: T.S. of corolla measures 2.5mm breadth with distinguished epidermis outer and inner epidermis outer without trichomes inner with Glandular trichomes with stalk measures 0.5mm×0.3mm, Head consists of oil content. Ground tissue consist parenchyma cells. Some of the vascular bundles were observed in the ground tissue. Inner epidermal interrupted by glandular with stalk. (Fig-10,11,12) Squashed Androecium: Stamens epipetals base consists candelabra type of trichomes, measures average about 2.9mm×0.4mm with head 0.5mm. Bilobed anther with pollen grains measures average 0.9mm×0.9mm, Trihedral type of pollen grains. (Fig-13,14,15,16) Gynoecium: Bicarpillary, syncarpus, Ovary-superior, Bilocular, numerous anatropous ovules in each locule, axile placentation. Stigma bifid, some of the pollen grains inside the gynoecium tube. Ovary measures 7.3mm×9mm. Ovary with outer epidermis, inner parenchymatous ground tissue. Many vascular bundles distributed circularly. In center ovary divided into two on axile placentation. (Fig-17,18,19) Powder microscopy: Creamish brown in colour, bitter to astringent in taste, aromatic in odour and rough in touch. Diagnostic characters of the flower showed that Prismatic crystal 0.6mm×0.4mm, pollen grains,fragment of multicellular trichome 1.2mm×0.2mm. Wavy parenchyma cells of petal, yellow brown content, fragment of annular vessels, epidermal cells of calyx, oil globule. Simple trichome measures 3mm×0.5mm. Stomata of calyx (actinocytic) pappilose cells of gynoecium. (Fig- 20,21,22,23,24,25) Micrometric evaluation: Scientifically individual characters were repeatedly measured and mean value was taken into consideration. The values are depicted in Table No. 1. Full Text Available On www.ijupbs.com 707 | P a g e International Standard Serial Number (ISSN): 2319-8141 Table No.1 Micrometric Values of Individual Character Sr. Characters Measurements No 1. Radius of T.S. of pedicel (4X) 1.8mm2 2. Multicellular trichome of pedicel length X breadth 2mm×0.2mm (10X) 3. Glandular Trichome of pedicel (40X) 0.3mm×0.2mm. 4. Multicellular multibranched trichomes of calyx 2.3mm×0.2mm. (10X) 5. Breadth of T.S. of corolla measures (4X) 2.5mm 6. Glandular with stalk of corolla (40X) 0.5mm×0.3mm