POWDER MICROSCOPIC EVALUATION OF HERBAL PLANT MATERIALS OF AMURTHASHTAKA KWATHA

Abstract

Background and justification: Herbal medicines have been commonly used for treatment and prevention of diseases, health promotion and enhancement of the span and quality of life. Objective: This study has focused on investigating powder microscopic characteristics of herbal constituents of Amurthashtaka kwatha. Methodology: The constituent herbal plants such as bark of Azadirachta indica, rhizome of Cyperus rotundus, Picrorhiza scrophulariiflora and Zingiber officinale, seeds of Holarrhena antidysenterica, heartwood of Santalum album, stem of Tinospora cordifolia, and whole plant of Trichosanthes cucumerina were purchased from three Ayurvedic shops and two different natural habitats.The powders of the authenticated herbal plants were studied through Zeiss Axio microscope with a camera for the evaluation of general and specific cells, tissues, and cell inclusions which are specific for the particular herb. Results and discussion: Crystals, fibres, starch grains, tracheids and xylem vessels in A. indica; cork cells, endodermis cells, fibres, epidermal cells, parenchyma cells, tracheids, starch grains andxylem vessels in C. rotundus; fibres, starch grains and crystals in H. antidysenterica; fibres, crystals, thickenings, tracheids, starch grains, thickenings and xylem vessels in P. scrophulariiflora; crystals, fibres, starch grains, xylem vessels, oil cannels and ray parenchyma in S. album; cork cells, xylem vessel, starch grains, tracheids and fibres in T. cordifolia; xylem vessels, exocarp, thickening, starch grains, fibres and trichomes in T. cucumerina while starch grains, thickenings and xylem vessels in Z. officinale were identified as specific identification characters in each plants. Conclusion: Present pharmacognostic study would be beneficial to establish authenticated standards for identification, detection of contaminants and adulterations as well as standardization of herbal ingredients of Amurthashtaka kwatha. The powder microscopical examination of constituent herbal plants of Amurthashtaka kwatha confirmed their identity and morality as original plants.