Use of chemotaxonomic markers for misidentified medicinal plants used in traditional medicines

Abstract

Onosma hispida Wall. and G. Don. (Boraginaceae) is an important medicinal plant used in Unani system of medicine as cardiac drug. In Unani, Ayurvedic and traditional system of medicines, the drug is marketed under the trade name rattan jot. In herbal market, this drug is misidentified, confused and adulterer with local available drug obtained from another species, Geranium wallichianum D. Don. ex Sweet. In order to ensure the use of only genuine and uniform material of such herbal drug, work on chemotaxonomic authentication assumes vital significance. Chemotaxonomic study has been carried out covering detailed morpho-anatomical, palynological (SEM), features of crude drug (roots) include organoleptic tests, response to UV and IR light exposure and results of TLC fingerprinting (flvonoids) evaluated in this work would serve as standard reference for correct identification in commercialization at global trade. Key words: Chemotaxonomic markers, misidentified medicinal plant, Rattan jot, traditional medicine.