PHARMACOGNOSTIC AND PRELIMINARY PHYTOCHEMICAL STUDIES OF COLD AND HOT EXTRACTS OF STEM OF TINOSPORA MALABARICA MIERS. - AN IMPORTANT MEDICINAL PLANT

Abstract

Plant medicine is the oldest system of medicine in India known as Ayurveda which is gaining greater importance in recent years. In this system crude drugs are used, which may be adulterated by similar kind of plants which may be harmful. To check this adulteration pharmacognostic analysis is more reliable compared to other methods. For identification and authentication of crude drugs pharmacognosy is the best and the easy method. In the present study pharmacognosy of stem of Tinospora malabarica Miers. a climber belongs to the family Menispermaceae has been studied. It is used traditionally by Indians to treat diabetes, neurological disorders jaundice and used in many Ayurvedic preparations are similar to Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Miers. In this study organoleptic, macroscopic, microscopic, fluorescence analysis, ash values and extractive values have been carried out. This study also includes preliminary phytochemical analysis of successive hot and cold extracts. The powder microscopic study showed the presence of oval or reiniform starch grains, pitted and spiral vessels and fibers. The preliminary phytochemical analysis showed steroids, glycosides, proteins, amino acids, carbohydrates, mucilage and oxalic acids in both the extracts and gum is present only in cold extract.