Pharmacognostic studies on Terminalia citrina (Gaertn) Roxb. ex Fleming

Abstract

Terminalia citrina (Gaertn.) Roxb. ex Fleming synonym Terminalia multiflora Merr. is commonly known as Yellow Myrobalan and Manahei in Manipuri. It is highly medicinal plant which is distributed in North East India and Car Nicobar Island. Its bark is diuretic and cardio tonic and fruits are used similar to Terminalia chebula and used in various drug preparations, which are sometimes adulterated with other plant materials. In order to standardize the drug, detail morphological, anatomical (T.S. of bark, petiole and leaf; T.S., T.L.S. and R.L.S. of wood and maceration of bark and wood) and dermatological studies were undertaken.T.S. of bark showed peculiarities as-bundles of fibre and patches of stone cells, compound crystals and compound starch grains. Maceration of bark showed unique branched phloem fibres, and thin and thick walled phloem parenchyma and various crystals. T.S. of bark showed Vessels in groups of 2-9. Parenchymatous rays mostly uniseriate, rarely biseriate, heterogenous with deposition of starch grains. Maceration of wood reveled the diagnostic features like-pitted xylem parenchyma, branched xylem fibres with pits, various types of vessel elements with oblique end walls with or without long beaks, pits alternate. Tracheids tubular, thick walled with small and few pits.It was observed that Terminalia citrina (Gaertn.) Roxb. ex Fleming can be easily standardized on the basis of combination of these parameters which are peculiar to this species.