Pharmacognostic Studies of Strychnos potatorum L.f.

TLDR: A B ST R A C T Strychnos potatorum (Clearing nut) is an important medicinal plant used in the traditional and folk medicine for treating several aliments including microbial infections, diarrhoea and diabetes.

Abstract: A B ST R A C T Strychnos potatorum (Clearing nut), an important medicinal plant used in the traditional and folk medicine for treating several aliments including microbial infections, diarrhoea and diabetes. Some of its pharmacognostic studies such as fluorescent, organoleptic, ash and mineral contents of root, stem bark and seed (both collected and market) , and GC- alkaloid profiles of seed have been investigated. Considerable colour variations in the fluorescent behaviour of raw drugs were observed. The highest yields were obtained for the aqueous extracts followed by ethanol, petroleum ether and chloroform extracts. The colour of the extracts thus obtained have from ivory to dark brown and bitter to pungent bitter in taste. Higher values of the total ash and insoluble acid contents were recorded for the stem bark, followed by root and seed samples. Considerable amounts of iron and copper found in all parts of the plant. However, lead, a toxic element was found in trace amount in the market seed sample. Further, the GC-alkaloid profiles of seed samples have shown significant variation in terms of percent area of peaks. Furthermore, the co-TLC study has revealed the absence of strychnine and brucine from the seed sample.