PHARMACOGNOSTICAL AND PHYTOCHEMICAL EVALUATION OF ROOT AND FRUIT OF GOKSHURA (Tribulus terrestris Linn.)

Summary of article contents:

Objective: Gokshura ( Tribulus terrestris Linn) is a procumbent herb, having vast medicinal importance in Ayurveda. The use of the root of Tribulus terrestris Linn. is mentioned in many formulations but in practice, it is the aerial parts, especially the fruit, that is commonly used. Since the drug is using extensively in Indian traditional medicinal systems the present work is taken up with an objective to lay down detail pharmacognostical and preliminary phytochemical standards, that will contribute significantly to quality control of medicinally useful Tribulus terrestris Linn. Methods: The root and fruit of the plant were subjected to macroscopical and microscopical characterization, followed by preliminary physicochemical and phytochemical evaluations including chromatography and Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) using standardized procedures. It also includes the qualitative tests for the detection of steroids, phenols, alkaloids, flavonoides, glycosides and tannins. Results: On microscopy of root, the cortex was embedded with rosette crystals of calcium oxalate and starch grains. Xylem was very wide and composed of scattered isolated xylem vessels embedded with a few prismatic crystals of calcium oxalate. The microscopy of fruit showed abundant simple unicellular trichomes in the epicarp. Elongated thick walled stone cells, fibrovascular strands and cluster crystals of calcium oxalate were found embedded in the mesocarp. Stony endocarp was also found with prismatic crystals of calcium oxalate. On preliminary phytochemical screening, the total ash value was found relatively high (10.08%) for fruits. The root showed the presence of different phytoconstituent groups such as alkaloids, steroids and tannins. The fruit showed the presence of alkaloids, steroids, tannin, saponin and flavonoids. AAS revealed that the plant contains insignificant quantities of heavy metals only.(delete-‘indicated the plant to contain insignificant quantities ofheavy metals and considerable amounts of lead, cadmium, zinc and iron’.) Conclusion: The resultsof the study can serve as a valuable source of pharmacognostic information as suitable standards for its identification INTERNATIONAL AYURVEDIC MEDICAL JOURNAL International Ayurvedic Medical Journal, ( ISSN: 2320 5091) (October, 2017) 5(10) PHARMACOGNOSTICAL AND PHYTOCHEMICAL EVALUATION OF ROOT AND FRUIT OF GOKSHURA ( Tribulus terrestris Linn.) Ankitha Sudheendran 1 , M.A.Shajahan 2 1 PG Scholar, 2 MD (Ay) PhD, Professor and HOD,Dept. of Dravyaguna vijnanam, Govt. Ayurveda College, Thiruvanathapuram, Kerala, India Email: dr.ankithasudhi@gmail.com ABSTRACT Objective: Gokshura ( Tribulus terrestris Linn) is a procumbent herb, having vast medicinal importance in Ayurveda. The use of the root of Tribulus terrestris Linn. is mentioned in many formulations but in practice, it is the aerial parts, especially the fruit, that is commonly used. Since the drug is using extensively in Indian traditional medicinal systems the present work is taken up with an objective to lay down detail pharmacognostical and preliminary phytochemical standards, that will contribute significantly to quality control of medicinally useful Tribulus terrestris Linn. Methods: The root and fruit of the plant were subjected to macroscopical and microscopical characterization, followed by preliminary physicochemical and phytochemical evaluations including chromatography and Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) using standardized procedures. It also includes the qualitative tests for the detection of steroids, phenols, alkaloids, flavonoides, glycosides and tannins. Results: On microscopy of root, the cortex was embedded with rosette crystals of calcium oxalate and starch grains. Xylem was very wide and composed of scattered isolated xylem vessels embedded with a few prismatic crystals of calcium oxalate. The microscopy of fruit showed abundant simple unicellular trichomes in the epicarp. Elongated thick walled stone cells, fibrovascular strands and cluster crystals of calcium oxalate were found embedded in the mesocarp. Stony endocarp was also found with prismatic crystals of calcium oxalate. On preliminary phytochemical screening, the total ash value was found relatively high (10.08%) for fruits. The root showed the presence of different phytoconstituent groups such as alkaloids, steroids and tannins. The fruit showed the presence of alkaloids, steroids, tannin, saponin and flavonoids. AAS revealed that the plant contains insignificant quantities of heavy metals only.(delete-‘indicated the plant to contain insignificant quantities ofheavy metals and considerable amounts of lead, cadmium, zinc and iron’.) Conclusion: The resultsof the study can serve as a valuable source of pharmacognostic information as suitable standards for its identification INTERNATIONAL AYURVEDIC MEDICAL JOURNAL International Ayurvedic Medical Journal, ( ISSN: 2320 5091) (October, 2017) 5(10) PHARMACOGNOSTICAL AND PHYTOCHEMICAL EVALUATION OF ROOT AND FRUIT OF GOKSHURA ( Tribulus terrestris Linn.) Ankitha Sudheendran 1 , M.A.Shajahan 2 1 PG Scholar, 2 MD (Ay) PhD, Professor and HOD,Dept. of Dravyaguna vijnanam, Govt. Ayurveda College, Thiruvanathapuram, Kerala, India Email: dr.ankithasudhi@gmail.com ABSTRACT Objective: Gokshura ( Tribulus terrestris Linn) is a procumbent herb, having vast medicinal importance in Ayurveda. The use of the root of Tribulus terrestris Linn. is mentioned in many formulations but in practice, it is the aerial parts, especially the fruit, that is commonly used. Since the drug is using extensively in Indian traditional medicinal systems the present work is taken up with an objective to lay down detail pharmacognostical and preliminary phytochemical standards, that will contribute significantly to quality control of medicinally useful Tribulus terrestris Linn. Methods: The root and fruit of the plant were subjected to macroscopical and microscopical characterization, followed by preliminary physicochemical and phytochemical evaluations including chromatography and Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) using standardized procedures. It also includes the qualitative tests for the detection of steroids, phenols, alkaloids, flavonoides, glycosides and tannins. Results: On microscopy of root, the cortex was embedded with rosette crystals of calcium oxalate and starch grains. Xylem was very wide and composed of scattered isolated xylem vessels embedded with a few prismatic crystals of calcium oxalate. The microscopy of fruit showed abundant simple unicellular trichomes in the epicarp. Elongated thick walled stone cells, fibrovascular strands and cluster crystals of calcium oxalate were found embedded in the mesocarp. Stony endocarp was also found with prismatic crystals of calcium oxalate. On preliminary phytochemical screening, the total ash value was found relatively high (10.08%) for fruits. The root showed the presence of different phytoconstituent groups such as alkaloids, steroids and tannins. The fruit showed the presence of alkaloids, steroids, tannin, saponin and flavonoids. AAS revealed that the plant contains insignificant quantities of heavy metals only.(delete-‘indicated the plant to contain insignificant quantities ofheavy metals and considerable amounts of lead, cadmium, zinc and iron’.) Conclusion: The resultsof the study can serve as a valuable source of pharmacognostic information as suitable standards for its identification INTERNATIONAL AYURVEDIC MEDICAL JOURNAL Ankitha Sudheendran & M.A.Shajahan: Pharmacognostical And Phytochemical Evaluation Of Root And Fruit Of Gokshura (TribulusTerrestris Linn.) IAMJ: OCTOBER, 2017 3705 Keywords: Gokshura , Tribulus terrestris Linn, Pharmacognostic, phytochemical standards INTRODUCTION Gokshura