Abstract
Introduction: Stem bark of Bhumi udumbara (Ficus semicordata Buch.-Ham. ex Sm.) is used traditionally in the treatment of leprosy, ulcer, dysentery, wound, pregnancy, complaints of gastric, liver, bladder and various disorders. In present study, stem and stem bark of F. semicordata are explored for their microscopic including powder microscopy, physiochemical and preliminary phytochemical aspects. Materials and Methods: Stem and stem bark of the plant, after proper authentication by BSI Kolkata, were evaluated following standard procedures. Results: Stem is hard, cylindrical, cut pieces measures about 10 - 25cm in length and 0.4 – 0.8 cm in diameter. Diagrammatic transverse section of stem shows outer cork followed by wide parenchymatous cortex with prismatic and rhomboidal crystals, starch grains and tannin content. Powder light brown in colour; odour woody; taste tasteless to astringent; texture fibrous. Stem bark is hard, single quilled after drying, outer dark reddish brown in colour with presence of lenticels, longitudinal cut fibres, rough in surface. Diagrammatic section, of the bark, shows outer several layered cork followed by cortical region along with medullary rays. Powder tortilla(brown) in colour; odour slightly aromatic; taste astringent; texture fibrous. Loss on drying at 110°C was found to be 7.41% and 8.60% of stem and stem bark respectively. HPTLC results shows 3 peaks and 0 peak at 254 and 366 nm of stem and 3 peaks at 254 and 366 nm of stem bark respectively. Discussion and Conclusion: Woody stem and presence of brown content, tannin, rhomboidal and prismatic crystals in stem and stem bark are the diagnostic characters.
Highlights
Stem bark of Bhumi udumbara (Ficus semicordata Buch.-Ham. ex Sm.) is used traditionally in the treatment of leprosy, ulcer, dysentery, wound, pregnancy, complaints of gastric, liver, bladder and various disorders
The sample was preserved in a solution prepared from 70% ethyl alcohol: glacial acetic acid: formalin (AAF) in the ratio of 90:5:5.6
The powder of stem and stem bark were evaluated for physico-chemical i.e. pH, loss on drying, total ash value, water soluble extractive value and alcohol soluble extractive value, following protocols recommended by Ayurvedic pharmacopoeia of India (API).[9]
Summary
Folklore medicines involves medicinally important plants and are one of the major area of new drug discovery, in drug research. As a part of drug standardization, provides valuable information regarding the morphology, microscopical and physical characters of a crude drug.[1] A folklore plant of Moraceae family Bhui dumri, is being used by tribals of Odisha.[2] It is a small or medium-sized evergreen tree, having oblong or semi-saggitate leaves, hispid above, petioles-scabrid, receptacles in pairs or clusters on leaflets, drooping branches, ripens reddish-brown[3] and is distributed along sub-Himalayan forests from Chenab to Manipur, ascending up to 300 m, West Bengal, Odisha, Chota Nagpur, Central India, Bangladesh (Chittagong), Myanmar, being cultivated in the valleys, ravines and on the banks of streams.[4] Stem bark of the plant has been reported extensively for its use in the treatment of leprosy, ulcer, dysentery, wound, pregnancy, complaints of gastric, liver and bladder, visceral obstruction, baldness, toothache, diarrhea, boil and menstrual disorder.[5]. Though various parts of plants are used by tribals, the plant is not yet evaluated in a scientific way for its pharmacognistical characters and phytochemical constituent. Semicordata has been explored, in this article, to bring insight on the pharmacognistical characters, preliminary phytochemical constituents including High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC) profile
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