Morphological and molecular characterization of plaksha ficus lacor buch ham a medicinal bark

Abstract

Introduction: Plaksha (Ficus lacor) a medicinal bark used in Indian system of medicine. Because of increased use of herbal products, similar looking nature of bark pieces and scarcity of natural products led to adulteration with other bark samples. Authentication parameters like macroscopy, microscopy can establish anatomical and physical features of a raw material. Molecular markers are nucleotide sequences of a plant material, which are unique for a particular species, devoid of its maturity, growth, geographical condition, part used. Materials and Methods: Bark sample of Ficus Lacor collected from its natural habitat, macro-microscopic, powder microscopic features recorded. Fresh bark samples of Panchavalkala, F. religiosa, F. benghalensis, F. racemosa, Thespesia populnea and F. Lacor were collected from various parts of India. DNA extraction carried out through CTAB method. Templates of all the 5 species were used for RAPD. After amplification, Clones were confirmed by amplification using vector primers and sequenced and SCAR obtained.Results: Macroscopically bark of F. lacor appear as rough, flat, curved with rough outer layer and reddish brown, fibrous internal surface. Transverse section of this bark sample shown outer 5-8 layers of cork tissue, secondary cortex with cell inclusion like prismatic crystals of calcium oxalate, elliptical stone cells etc. Powder of test drug showed cork cells, cork cambium, prismatic crystals and stone cells. Primer L gave an amplification product of 700 base pairs (positive) and does not give amplification with other species.