Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge

Vol. 8(2), April 2009, pp. 176-180

Pharmacognostical evaluation of root bark of Streblus asper Lour.

V Madhavan1, Pravinkumar P Zamabad

1, MR Gurudeva

2 & SN Yoganarasimhan

1*

1Department of Pharmacognosy, MS Ramaiah College of Pharmacy, MSRIT Campus, Bangalore 560 054, Karnataka 2VV Pura College of Science, KR Road, Bangalore 560 004, Karnataka

E-mail: dr_yogan@yahoo.co.in

Received 9 August 2007revised 8 April 2008

Streblus asper Lour. known as Shakhotaka in Ayurveda and Piraayan in Siddha is an important medicinal plant

belonging to family Moraceae. The root bark is antipyretic, antidysentric and analgesic, and sedative. The study provides

taxonomical, pharmacognostical and physicochemical details helpful in laying down standardization and pharmacopoeial

parameters. The diagnostic characters are latex exudation, lenticular opening, crystals and latex cells in secondary phloem,

2-3-seriate medullary rays, and septate fibers. Physicochemical studies revealed, total moisture content (8.91%), total ash

(15.00%), acid insoluble ash (5.65%), water-soluble ash (3.23%), alcohol soluble extractive value (18.05%), and water-

soluble extractive value (35.83%). Ultraviolet analysis exhibited considerable variation. Preliminary organic analysis

revealed carbohydrates, glycosides, phytosterols, phenolic compounds, tannins, saponin, gums and mucilage. Thin layer

chromatographic studies gave 8 and 7 spots in alcohol and aqueous extracts, respectively.

Keywords: Streblus asper, Pharmacognosy, Physicochemical analysis

IPC Int. Cl.8: A01K61/00, A61P1/04, A61P1/06, A61P1/10, A61P1/16, A61P29/00

Streblus asper Lour., (Moraceae), known as Demon

tree is an important medicinal plant1,2

. Large shrub or

small tree with crooked stem, bark light grey or

greenish with faint ridges, laticiferous. Leaves

alternate, 5-7×3.5-4 cm long, rhomboid-elliptic,

obovate or elliptic-oblong, acute, cuneate at base,

denticulate, glabrous. Flowers unisexual, axillary;

male flowers in globose pedunculate heads; stamens

4, inflexed in bud, anthers reinform; female flowers

solitary, inconspicuous, long peduncled. Fruit

1-seeded berry, enclosed by enlarged sepals. The root

bark and seeds are used in Ayurveda as a single drug

for treatment of diarrhoea, dysentery, filariasis,

diseases of nervous system and fever, whereas in

Siddha medicine, root bark, leaf and exudate (latex)

are used for dysentery, fissures, sprue, as an

aphrodisiac, and also for dental diseases3,4

. The

extracts showed anticancer and antiallergic activity5,6

.

The major glycoside in root bark is vijaloside, known

for its cardiac activity

apart from β-sitosterol, ά-

amyrin and luepol from leaves7,8

. Pharmacognostical

investigation with macerate and powder study details

on root bark which help in identification of crude drug

was not available and hence the study was

undertaken9-12

.

Methodology Fresh root bark collected from Botanical garden of

the University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK

campus, Bangalore was preserved in 70% ethyl

alcohol for histological studies. Pharmacognostical

evaluation including histochemical, macerate and

powder studies were carried out by taking free hand

sections13-15

. Photomicrographs were taken using

compound binocular microscope having sensor aided

digital camera and computer attachments.

Measurement of cells of tissues was also carried out.

Physicochemical constants, ultra-violet analysis,

organic analysis and thin layer chromatography were

carried out from shade dried powder6,17-19

. Voucher

herbarium specimen along with voucher crude drug

sample is preserved at the herbarium of MS Ramaiah

College of Pharmacy, Bangalore. Botanical

identification was carried out using local floras20-22

.

Results and discussion

Fresh root bark of 2–7 mm thick, peeling off when

dry, outer surface pale yellow, lenticellate, inner

surface fibrous within, brown was taken (Figs 1-2).

Mature dry root bark incurved, yellowish-brown to

chocolate brown, bitter, without characteristic odour;

fracture hard (Fig. 3) was taken for study. Transverse

section of root bark shows cork, consisting of 4-8

layers of tangentially elongated cells, 15-23-31µ, _________

*Corresponding author

MADHAVAN et al.: PHARMACOGNOSTICAL EVALUATION OF STREBLUS ASPER LOUR. ROOT BARK

177

interspersed by dark coloured lenticular openings.

Cork cambium single layered, followed by 2-3 layers

of secondary cortex and a large secondary phloem.

Cortical cells thin walled, parenchymatous,

rectangular or polygonal, 7-20-33µ, contain simple

round starch grains. Groups of stone cells, 22-41-60µ,

in tangential bands occur next to secondary cortex.

Secondary phloem consists of phloem parenchyma,

sieve tubes, companion cells and phloem fibers;

phloem parenchyma cells thin walled, variable in size

and shape, 26-47-58µ, elongated, either tangentially

or radially, contain starch grains, 22-41-60µ

(diameter) and large prismatic, rhomboidal or

spheroidal crystals of calcium oxalate, and abundant

laticiferous cells. Phloem fibers radially arranged, in

vertical columns, intermingled with phloem

parenchyma and alternating with medullary rays.

Medullary rays multiseriate, run in parallel rows

separating phloem, almost up to secondary cortex;

cells rectangular or polygonal, radially elongated, thin

walled, 15-28-40µ, contain simple starch grains and

crystals; stone cells are specifically found more in

medullary ray region (Figs. 4-14).

Macerate shows rectangular or polygonal cortical

cells, 9-18-27µ, contain starch grains; irregular

parenchyma cells; phloem fibers 14-18-22µ, septate,

thin walled, with a large lumen; groups of thick

walled stone cells, simple pitted and with broad

lumen; laticiferous cells with granular content (Figs.

15-19).

Powder study shows powder yellowish, odourless,

bitter, fibrous; when treated with chloral hydrate

solution, stained in 1% safranin for 5-10 minutes,

mounted in 50% glycerine shows cork cells,

parenchyma cells and phloem fibers; with iodine

solution, gave blue colour indicating presence of

starch. Results of histochemical tests are provided

(Table 1). The % of moisture content was 9.2, total

ash 15.0, acid insoluble ash 5.6, water soluble ash 3.2,

alcohol souble extractive 18.0 and water soluble

extractive 35.8; the % of successive extractive values

were petroleum ether (60-80ºc) 4.08, benzene 0.73,

chloroform 1.39, acetone 0.59, ethanol 6.16 and water

7.61. A known quantity of dried powder was

extracted in a Soxhlet with petroleum ether (60-80ºc),

benzene, chloroform, acetone and ethanol (95%) and

finally macerated with chloroform-water for 24 hrs

successively and tested for different constituents

revealed carbohydrates, glycosides, phytosterols,

phenolic compounds, tannins, saponins, gums and

mucilage16,19

. The alcohol and aqueous extracts were

used to carry out TLC with solvent system,

chloroform: ethanol [8:2] for alcohol extract and pet

ether (60-80ºC): ethyl acetate [6:4] for aqueous

extract (Figs 20, 21). Iodine vapours were used as

developer. Alcohol extract gave 8 spots of Rf 0.11,

0.29, 0.43, 0.52, 0.80, 0.91, 0.97 and aqueous extract

7 spots of Rf 0.08, 0.11, 0.14, 0.43, 0.62, 0.85 and

0.97 (Figs. 20, 21). Powdered drug under UV and

ordinary light when treated with different reagents

emitted various colour radiations (Table 2) which help

in identifying the drug in powder form. Diagnostic

characters of root bark include: presence of lenticular

openings; presence of different types of crystals and

Table 1 — Histochemical tests of root bark of S. asper

Material Reagent Test for Colour change Result

Section Iodine Starch Blue ++

Section Ferric chloride solution (10%) Tannin Black ++

Section Sudan III solution Oil globules No change − −

Section dil Hcl + pinch of phloroglucinol Lignin Majenta colour ++

Section con Hcl Calcium oxalate crystals Little effervescence ++

+: present; − : absent

Table 2 — Ultra-violet analysis of root bark powder of S. asper

Treatment UV light

Visible light

short wave (254 nm) long wave (365 nm)

Powder as such Light brown Light brown Light brown

In methanol Dark brown Dark green Brown

In methanol NaOH Brown Green Light brown

In ethanol Dark brown Green Brown

In ethanol NaOH Dark brown Dark green Light brown

In dil HCl Light brown Light green Brown

INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL 8, No. 2, APRIL 2009

178

MADHAVAN et al.: PHARMACOGNOSTICAL EVALUATION OF STREBLUS ASPER LOUR. ROOT BARK

179

INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL 8, No. 2, APRIL 2009

180

latex cells in secondary phloem; groups of

tangentially arranged stone cells in secondary cortex

and septate fibres.

Conclusion Pharmacognostical evaluation on Streblus asper

Lour., root bark provide specific pharmacognostical

parameters useful in scientific evaluation of drug.

Dioecious nature of plant and presence of latex are

important taxonomical characters. Root bark is

identified by above mentioned diagnostic characters.

Acknowledgment

Authors are thankful to Gokula Education

Foundation, Bangalore and VV Pura College of

Science for providing facilities and encouragement.

Authors are also thankful to V Chelladurai of

Tirunelveli for sending authentic drug material.

References 1 Anonymous, The Wealth of India-Raw Materials, Vol X,

(Publications & Information Directorate, New Delhi), 1976,

54-55.

2 Gurudeva MR, Botanical and Vernacular Names of South

Indian plants, (Divyachandra Prakashana, Bangalore), 2001,

378.

3 Yoganarasimhan SN, Medicinal Plants of India, Vol 2 Tamil

Nadu, (Cyber Media, Bangalore), 2000, 519.

4 Singh VK & Hashmi Shamina, Streblus asper Lour. An

indigenous drug for the treatment of filariasis, Recent

Progress in Medicinal plants: Ethnomedicine &

Pharmacognosy, (SCI Technical Publishing, Houston,

Texas), 2002, 1, 215-220.

5 Ganu UK, Khandelkar DD & Gokhale SV, Potential of

anticancer activity by extracts of Streblus asper against P

388 murine leukemia, Indian Drugs, 28 (11) (1991) 504-506.

6 Gupta A, Kulshrestha DK & Dhawan BN, Antiallergic

activity of Streblus asper, Indian J Pharmacol, 34 (3) (2002)

214.

7 Rastogi RP & Mehrotra BN, Compendium of Indian

Medicinal Plants, Vol 3, (National Institute of Science

Communication & Information Resources, New Delhi),

2001, 611.

8 Rastogi RP & Mehrotra BN, Compendium of Indian

Medicinal Plants, Vol 4, (National Institute of Science

Communication & Information Resources, New Delhi),

1993, 696-697.

9 Iyengar MA, Bibliography of Investigated Indian Medicinal

Plants (1950-1975), 1st edn, (Manipal Power Press,

Manipal), 1976, 118-119.

10 Iyengar MA & Pendse GS, Studies on the Pharmacognosy of

the root bark of Streblus asper and its tincture, Indian J

Pharm, 25 (11) (1963) 372.

11 Singh P, Pharmacognostical studies of the roots of Streblus

asper, Indian Drugs, 11 (1963) 191-197.

12 Mitra Roma, Bibliography on Pharmacognosy of Medicinal

Plants, (NBRI, Lucknow), 1985, 1-655.

13 Johansen DA, Plant Micro Techniques. (McGraw Hill, New

York), 1940, 183-203.

14 Wallis TE, Textbook of Pharmacognosy, 15th edn,

(TA Churchill, London), 1985, 575-582.

15 Trease GE & Evans WC, Pharmacognosy, 15th ed, (Baillere

Tindall, London), 1983, 538-547.

16 Anonymous, Indian Pharmacopoeia, Vol 2, (Controller of

Publications, New Delhi), 1996, A85-A89.

17 Chase CR & Pratt RJ, Fluorescence of powdered vegetable

drugs with particular reference to development of system of

identification, J Am Pharm Assoc, 38 (1949) 324-331.

18 Kokate CK, Practical Pharmacognosy (4th repr ed), (Vallabh

Prakashan, New Delhi), 1999, 122-125.

19 Krebs KG, Heunsen D & Wimmer H, In: Thin Layer

Chromatography- A Laboratory Handbook, edited by E

Stahl, 2nd edn, (ELBS, London), 1969, 204-255, 855-909.

20 Jain SK & Rao RR, Field and Herbarium Methods, (Today

& Tomorrow Publishers, New Delhi), 1976, 22-61.

21 Gamble JS, The Flora of Presidency of Madras, Vol 2, (BSI,

Calcutta), 1967, 1353.

22 Keshavamurthy KR & Yoganarasimhan, SN, Flora of Coorg

(Kodagu), Karnataka, India, (Vimsat Publishers, Bangalore),

1990, 417, 426.