Abstract
Diospyros malabarica (Desr.) Kostel synonym Diospyros peregrina Gurke (Family: Ebenaceae) is a medium sized evergreen tree commonly known as Kendu in Assamese. The plant has ethnomedicinal significance and used by various ethnic communities of North-East India to treat various disorders like dysentery, diabetes, diarrhea malaria, ulcer and wounds. However, detailed scientific information is not available to identify the plant material, in order to ascertain its quality and purity. Therefore, the present work was carried out to perform morpho-anatomical and physicochemical analysis of D. malabarica stem bark. The bark is externally dark brown to black in color and rough having characteristics odor and astringent taste. The microscopy of bark reveals the presence of polygonal thick walled cork, 3-4 layered phellogen, 7-8 layered phelloderm, stone cells, phloem fibers and medullary rays. Stem bark powder showed thick walled cork cells, thick walled elongated phloem fibers, lignified stone cells and rhomboidal crystals of calcium oxalate. Further, physicochemical analysis of the bark power showed loss on drying, total ash, water soluble ash, and acid insoluble ash as 6.2, 5.6, 1.1, 2.45, and 5.7% w/w respectively. The alcohol and water soluble extractives values of the stem bark were 10.6 and 16.8% w/w respectively. The result of preliminary phytochemical screening indicates presence of triterpenoids, saponins, tannins, flavonoids and sterols. The findings of this study will facilitate pharmacognostic standardization of the plant material and aid in the preparation of an herbal monograph for the species.
Highlights
Diospyros malabarica (Desr.) Kostel synonym Diospyros malabarica Gurke, commonly known as Kendu in Assamese, is a small middle sized evergreen tree belongs to family Ebenaceae (Fig. 1)
The object of the present study is to evaluate various pharmacognostical parameters such as macroscopic, microscopic, physicochemical, fluorescence and phytochemical studies of the stem bark of D. malabarica
The transverse section of D. malabarica bark shows the presence of cork, phellogen, phelloderm, cortex and secondary phloem (Fig. 2)
Summary
Diospyros malabarica (Desr.) Kostel synonym Diospyros malabarica Gurke, commonly known as Kendu in Assamese, is a small middle sized evergreen tree belongs to family Ebenaceae (Fig. 1). The plant is distributed throughout the tropics and has various ethno -medicinal significances. It is used for the treatment of dysentery, fever, malaria, diabetes, ulcer and wounds [1,2,3]. The fruit and stem bark possess astringent property and are traditionally used for the treatment of dysentery, diarrhea and intermittent fever & the macerated matured unripe fruit is successfully used in costal West Bengal of India for treatment of diabetes [4, 5]. The object of the present study is to evaluate various pharmacognostical parameters such as macroscopic, microscopic, physicochemical, fluorescence and phytochemical studies of the stem bark of D. malabarica
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