INTERNATIONAL AYURVEDIC MEDICAL JOURNAL Research Article ISSN: 2320 5091 Impact Factor: 5.344 AN INSIGHT INTO THE PHYTOCHEMICAL EVALUATION OF VITEX ALTISSIMA L.f - AN EXTRAPHARMACOPOEIAL DRUG G. K. Chaithrika1, B R Lalitha2, N Deepika3, Sreekumar Aathira 4 1PG Scholar, Department of Dravyaguna Vigyana, 2Professor and Head, Department of Dravyaguna Vigyana, 3PG Scholar, Department of Dravyaguna Vigyana, 4PG Scholar, Department of Dravyaguna Vigyana, Government Ayurveda Medical College, Dhanvantari Road, Bengaluru – 560009, Karnataka, India Email: [email protected] ABSTRACT Exploration of medicinal plants is a continuous process. From Vedic to Samhita period and Samhita to the nighantu period there is an up gradation in the number of medicinal plants. Acharya Charaka has emphasized the need of interaction between the physician and cowherds, forest dwellers, shepherds etc1, it proves that our Acharyas had vivid knowledge of drug research regarding its identity, properties and the therapeutic use along with the safety of the drug before administering to a patient. Vitex altissima L.f belonging to the family verbenaceae is a drug which is extrapharmacopoeial medicinal plant called Baranige in kannada and its frequent- ly used in folklore medicine for the joint pain, to improve the strength, etc hence the proper identification is im- portant and mandatory. The pharmacognostical study helped to standardize its identity, preliminary phytochemi- cal analysis revealed the presence of certain phytoconstituents which helped to understand the properties and ac- tions of the drug. Keywords: Extrapharmacopoeial drug, Vitex altissima L.f, Standardization, Pharmacognostic study INTRODUCTION Vitex altissima L.f is an anukta dravya of ayurveda, narrated about 289 plants2. The number of medicinal proper knowledge of its nama, rupa and gunakarma is plant exceptionally increased in samhita period and very essential to use it in the clinical practice. The the same tradition continued in nighantu period as aushadhi sukta in rigveda is the oldest document well. Even though the details of medicinal plants men- available on medicinal plants. It briefly describes the tioned in samhita period is less when compared to morphological characters of medicinal plants, their nighantu kala, they believed that everything in this habitat, therapeutic classification and their uses in var- universe can be considered as medicine if utilized ious ailments. Rigveda mentioned about 67 medicinal properly plants followed by 81 in Yajurveda,later atharva veda G. K. Chaithrika et al: An Insight Into The Phytochemical Evaluation Of Vitex Altissima L.F - An Extrapharmacopoeial Drug Vitex altissima L.f is a potent drug belonging to the OBSERVATION AND RESULTS family verbenaceae is an extra pharmacopoeial drug Table 1: Vernacular names which is not mentioned in any of the samhitas or Kannada Baranige ,naviladi nighantus. Traditionally its leaves and bark are used in English Peacock chaste tree joint pain and the seeds are used to improve the Tamil Mayilati strength and the leaves are also used for wound heal- Telugu Mayooramu ing3. In the recent studies it is proved to have the an- Malayalam Kattumayila timicrobial4, antioxidant4, antibacterial activity5. Marathi Bavalgee Pharmacognostic, morphological and microscopical characters of leaf of Vitex altissima L.f will set the Table 2: Taxonomic position standard which can promise quality, and identity of Kingdom Plantae samples. Phytochemical studies helps in standardiza- Phyllum Tracheophyta Infraphyllum Angiosperms tion of the drug which in future will help the practi- Class Magnoliopsida tioners to get the genuine drug and best outcome in Order Lamiales their clinical practice. The present study will provide Family Verbinaceae the information in respect of identification and stand- Genus Vitex ardization. Species altissima L.f MATERIALS AND METHODS Morphology Sample collection: The plant source was identified Trees, upto 30 m high, bark 10-13 mm thick, greyish- in the field with the help of regional flora and collect- yellow, scaly; blaze yellow; branchlets lenticellate, ed. The fresh leaves were collected and used for mac- minutely tomentose. Leaves compound, trifoliate, op- roscopic evaluation, dried and powdered form was posite, estipulate; rachis 35-60 mm long, slender, pu- used for powder microscopy. bescent, winged in sapling leaves, wings auriculate at Macroscopic evaluation: The external features of the base; leaflets 3-5, sessile; lamina 6-18 x 2-5 cm, test samples were documented using digital camera. lanceolate, elliptic-lanceolate, or oblanceolate, base The macroscopic features were compared to local flo- cuneate or acute, apex acuminate, margin entire, gla- ra for confirmation. brous above and pubescent or glabrescent along the Powder microscopy: Pinch of leaf powder previously nerves below, chartaceous; lateral nerves 10-16 pairs, sieved is put on the slide and mounted in glycerine pinnate, puberulent beneath, slender, prominent; and powder characters are observed under the Zeiss intercostae reticulate, prominent. Flowers bisexual, AXIO trinocular microscope attached with Zeiss white, tinged with blue, in terminal panicles, 5-8 m AxioCam camera under bright field light long; bracts lanceolate, 3 mm long, cauducous; calyx Physico-chemical analysis: Organoleptic examina- densely tomentose, shortly 5 lobed, ovate; corolla 5 tion, macro, microscopy, and physicochemical studies, mm long, 2 lipped, upper lip of 2 and lower lip of 3 viz., total ash, water-soluble ash, acid-insoluble ash, lobes, obtuse, throat villous; stamens 4, didynamous, water and alcohol soluble extractive, loss on drying at exserted; filaments hairy at base; ovary globose, 1 0 6 105 C as per standardized methods. mm, superior, densely hairy, 2-4-celled, 4 ovuled; Phytochemical analysis: Tests for alkaloids, carbo- style filiform; stigmas bifid. Fruit a drupe, 5 x 5 mm, hydrates, steroids, saponins, tannins, flavonoids, phe- smooth, globose, glabrous, blue, supported by en- nol, coumarins, triterpenoids, carboxylic acid, resin larged calyx; seeds 4, obovate. 7 and quinine. IAMJ: Volume 7, Issue 9, September - 2019 (www.iamj.in) Page 1549 G. K. Chaithrika et al: An Insight Into The Phytochemical Evaluation Of Vitex Altissima L.F - An Extrapharmacopoeial Drug Table 3: Organoleptic characters they act on central nervous system, used to relieve the Leaf characters Leaf powder characters pain, and analgesic hence is used as muscle relaxants8. Colour: Greenish, glabrous Colour: Greenish Tannins are antiseptic on skin and mucus membrane, above Taste: Slightly astringent they are used as healing agents in inflammation9. The Taste: Slightly astringent Odor: characteristic presence of flavonoids implies that it may have anti- Odor: characteristic Touch: Smooth inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-cancer activity. Pres- Touch: Smooth ence of the above phytochemicals justifies its thera- Macroscopic features peutic value as to be a better wound healing, analge- The leaves are greenish trifoliate, leaflets sessile, sic, anti-inflammatory, anti-arthritic, anti-bacterial and lanceolate, margin serrated acuminate at apex, acute at anti-oxidant drug as the action of the drug is directly base. Petioles angular and winged, with auricles at dependent on its chemical composition. base. Powder microscopic characters CONCLUSION Powder microscopic characters showed the presence The results of the pharmacognostical, physicochemi- of trichomes, spiral vessels, upper epidermal cell and cal analysis helps in standardization with respect to its vascular fibres. identity and genuinity of the herbal material, phyto- Physico-chemical tests chemical screening showed the presence of alkaloid, Loss on drying - 6.15% tannins, flavonoids, phenols and proteins. with this Total ash - 4.99%, sufficient data the drug can be taken up studying it as Acid insoluble ash - 0.4%, per guidelines of Ayurveda like assessment of its rasa Alcohol soluble extractive value - 17.88% panchaka and further for clinical studies to rationally Water soluble extractive value - 14.46% include it into Ayurveda materia medica, thus provid- ph - 6.34. ing a scientific and evidence based documentation of Preliminary phytochemical tests traditional knowledge as mentioned in Ayurveda. Phytochemical tests carried out showed the presence of alkaloid, tannins, flavonoids, phenols, amino acids, REFERENCES sugars and proteins. 1. Agnivesha. Charaka Samhita. Acharya Jadavji Trikamji. Varanasi: Chaukhambha Prakasha. Reprint DISCUSSION 2011. Sutra sthana chapter 1. Verse no. 126; Pp 738. In India 80% of people live in rural areas in rely upon 2. Sharma PV, Dravya guna vignana, Vol4,4th ed. Vara- traditional medicines for their primary healthcare; this nasi: Chaukhambha Bharathi Academy; 2003.p.200- is due to strong belief on the traditional medicine and 205. the healers. Inadequate primary healthcare centers and 3. AyyanarM, Ignacimuthu, S,Herbal medicines for wound healing among tribal people in Southern India: transportation facilities also make them to approach Ethnobotanical and Scientific evidences, International traditional healers. Besides, medicinal plants are easi- journal of Applied Research in Natural Products, vol ly available natural products, cost effective with no or 2(3),pp.29-42,Sep-Oct 2009. negligible side-effects. The ethno-medico botanical 4. Mahendra Sharma, G Neerajarani, Arunoday Kumar, study of Vitex altissima L.f revealed that the drug is Debashish Basak, Kaja Ashok Kumar,IJHSR,Vol.5;