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DETAILED COMPARATIVE PHARMACOGNOSTICAL EVALUATION OF SOME
IMPORTANT CASSIAS HERBECEA COMPLEX
Priyanka Rupavatiya *, Harisha C.R 1, Switu Jani 2, Proshanta Majumder3, Dhaval patel 4,
Shruti ladani5. M.pharm (Ayu) Scholar, 1.Head, Pharmacognosy, 2.Ph.D,Scholar, 3.
Ph.D,Scholar, 4. M.pharm (Ayu) Scholar, 5.M.pharm (Ayu) Scholar. IPGT & RA, Gujarat
Ayurved University, Jamnagar,Gujarat, India 361 008.
Abstract:
Cassia tora and Cassia hirsuta belonging to the family Ceasalpiniaceae. Both the plants were
used in Ayurveda. Cassia tora commonly known as Chakramarda. Well known
Chakramarda taila used in Kustha and so many skin diseases. Seed has been used in Kusth
and headache. Till date the comparative pharmacognostical work had been not reported. In
the presents study detail comparative study of Cassia tora and Cassia hirsuta has been under
taken. The pharmacognostical evaluation both the root showed that fibers, both the leaf
showed that prismatic crystal and both the seeds showed that aleurone grains. Whole powder
microscopic both the plants showed that pollen grains, pitted vessel, simple and starch grains.
Key words: Chakramarda, leaves, root, seed pharmacognosy.
Corrosponding author:
Harisha C. R.,
Head , Pharmacognosy,
Gujarat Ayurved University, Jamnagar,Gujarat, India 361 008.
Mail: [email protected] mobile no.- 9727682594
Introduction
India is virtually a herbarium of the world, using plants and herbs as the basic source of
medicine. Herbs which form a part of our nutrition and provide us an additional therapeutic
effect are in demand and Cassia species is one of such plant1. Cassia species (Caesalpiniaceae)
are well known medicinal plant commonly found in India and other tropical countries. The seeds
of Cassia species have been used in Chinese medicine as aperients, antiasthma, diuretic agent
and also improve the visual activity2. Cassia species are well known oriental herb used in
traditional medicine which grows up to 1-2 m in height and is found as a rainy season as a weed
throughout India3. Till date the comparative pharmacognostical work had been not reported. In
the presents study detail comparative study of Cassia tora and Cassia hirsuta has been under
taken4.
Materials and Methods :
Samples of whole plants were used for the pharmacognostical evaluation. The study was
conducted as per the guidelines of Ayurvedic Pharmacopeia of India5.
Collection of Samples :
The plant samples collected were standered procedures6.
Processing and Preservations:
Herbarium specimens are prepared as per standered guidelines7.
Morphological Study:
The morphological study was carried out which regarding of size, shape of roots, leaves, stem
and seeds of Cassia tora and Cassia hirsuta.8
Organoleptic characters:
The whole plants of Cassia tora and Cassia hirsuta was evaluated for their organoleptic
characters including touch, colour, taste and odour8.
Microscopical Study :
Transverse section microscopy: Free hand transverse sections of roots, leaves, stem and seeds
were first observed with distilled water and then with phloroglucinol and concentrated HCl.
Powder of the whole plants was studied microscopically and microphotographs are taken by
using carl-zeiss trinocular microscope attached with camera6.
RESULTS AND DISSCUSSIONS:
Collection & Authentification of raw drug:
Cassia tora and Cassia hirsuta Selected plants were collected from natural habit which was free
from pollution out skurts and botanical garden of Jamnagar in month of December.
Pharmacognostical identification and authentification was done in pharmacognosy lab. IPGT &
RA.. Leaves, stem and roots were separated dried in shed powdered at 80 mesh for further
powder microscopy and analytical studies.
Processing and Preservations
A herbarium sheet of the plant and sample specimen was deposited in Pharmacognosy lab,
IPGT&RA, Jamnagar Specimen No- PHM 6106, 6107 /14/12/2013 for future references. The
rhizomes were washed, shade dried, powdered, sieved through 80 # and preserved in an air-tight
glass vessel.
For microscopical evaluation, fresh sample was preserved in a solution prepared from 70% ethyl
alcohol:glacial acetic acid:formalin (AAF) in the ratio of 90:5:5.
Macroscopic study of C. tora
Erect annual herb with many lateral branch lets , leaves simple ,oblong, apex obtuse with
prominent midrib, inflorescence axillary simple cyme, flower yellow in colour, oblong and
obtuse, legumes 12.5 x 20 cm long, seeds are hard, pale brown in colour.(plate No.- 1 A)
Transverse section of root of C. tora:
Diagrammatic T.S. of root was circular in outline. Outer cork is followed by cortex, endodermis,
pericycle & vascular bundles (Plate No.-2 A,A1).
Detailed T.S. shows the outer most 3-5 layers are composed of tangentially elongated cork cells,
some of the cells filled with brown content and oil globules. (Plate no- 2 A,A1). Cortex region is
found to be reduced, loosely arranged & made up of 3-5 layers of simple parenchymatous cells
which are sacredly isolated with simple starch grains and tannin content. Some of the isolated 23 celled pericyclic fibres were observed in the corticle region. Cortex ends with single layered of
parenchymatous endodermis. Vascular bundles are open and collateral type, radially arranged.
Xylem consists of xylem parenchyma and fibres. Here and there xylem vessels were filled with
yellowish brown content. Xylem bundles were separated by medullary rays. Phloem is situated
above the xylem with sieve elements and fibres(Plate no-2 A,A1) Medullary rays uni-serrate and
started from central region and extended up to inner layers of the pericyclic, region. (Plate no - 2
A, A1)
Transverse section of leaflet through midrib of Cassia tora:
Leaflet is dorsi-ventral type & differentiated into upper palisade parenchyma and lower
mesophyll tissue. Epidermis single layered both upper and lower epidermis interrupted by
paracytic stomata. Transverse section through midrib shows large vascular bundle present at the
centre. (Plate no- 4 A, A1).
Detailed T.S. showed that epidermis single layered, upper epidermis consists of single layered
barrel shaped compactly arranged cells. Some of the cells lead to form unicellular simple and
warty trichomes. Lower epidermis also consists of epidermal cells as in upper epidermis but
some epidermal cells interrupted by stomata, stomata are mainly paracytic in nature. Both the
epidermis is covered with thick cuticle (Plate no - 4 A, A1). Mesophyll is differentiated into
upper palisade & lower parenchymatous layers. Palisade consists of one to two layered of
elongated compactly arranged cells, below the upper epidermis. Chloroplast, oil globules and
Prismatic crystals calcium oxalate are very common in palisade parenchyma. There are 3-4
layered loosely arranged rounded to oval shaped spongy parenchyma with many air chambers
located above the lower epidermis. Oil globules and chloroplast pigments are very common in
spongy parenchymatous tissue. Vascular bundle is situated at the centre through the midrib
section of the leaf. Vascular bundle is collateral and open type. Xylem differentiated into
protoxylem & metaxylem. Metaxylem is found towards lower epidermis & protoxylem towards
upper epidermis. Xylem composed of its parenchyma and fibres. Phloem situated beneath the
xylem towards lower epidermis and composed of some sieve elements. Vascular bundle is
surrounded by parenchymatous cells & covering the bundle sheath. Parenchymatous bundle
sheath extended towards both the epidermis.
Transverse section of seed of Cassia tora:
The outer most layer of palisade cells consisting of thick walled compactly placed cells, flat at
both ends and highly refractive narrow lumen and a bulbous enlargement at lower end embedded
with yellow contents covering ½ portion of cells, and linealucida crossing across, near the upper
surface of the palisade; and covered with thick cuticle, which readily scales off at places from the
light line, especially on soaking the seeds with water. (Plate no - 5 A, A1)
A layer of spool shaped cells with yellow contents. 6-8 rows of tangentially elongated
parenchymatous cells with brownish yellow pigment and embedded with plenty of rosette and
very few prismatic crystals of calcium oxalate of various sizes. A layer of parenchymatous cells,
resembling somewhat to spool shaped cells and innermost collapsed celled layer of tegmen,
followed by endosperm tissue consisting of several rows of thick walled cells with reserved
carbohydrate(mucilage) swelling with water and embedded with aluerone grains, cotyledon
shows upper and lower epidermis enclosing 4-6 rows of mesophyll cells, two rows lying
underneath the later being of palisade cells; embedded with aleurone grains, fixed oil globules
and clusters and few rosette crystals of calcium oxalate.(Plate no - 5 A,A1)
Powder microscopy of whole plant of Cassia tora:
Organoleptic characters:
Orgenoleptic characters of whole plant powder were carried out and the results are deplited in
the table no.-1.
Diagnostic powder microscopy showed that fragments of palisade parenchyma of leaf, oil
globule, rhomboidal crystals of calcium oxalate from stem and root, pollen grains of flower,
fragments of simple fibres of stem and root, fragments of lignified fibres, schleroides, fragments
of annular vessels of stem, fragments of pitted vessels of root, paracytic stomata of leaf epicarp
cells of fruit, epidermal cells of leaf, wavy parenchyma cells of leaf, Tannin content, cork in
surface view of root, epidermal cells with tannin content.(plate no.-6 A,A1,A2,A3,A4,A5).
Macroscopic study of Cassia hirsuta
Erect annual herb ,with many lateral branch lets , leaves simple ,oblong, apex obtuse with
prominent midrib, inflorescence axillary, 2-3 flower cyme , flower bright yellow in colour
legume 4-5 cm long, seeds hard, pale brown in colour and small as compare to C.tora.(plate no.1 B)
Transverse section of root of Cassia hirsuta
Diagrammatic T.S. of root was circular in outline. Outer cork is followed by cortex, pericycle,
endodermis & vascular bundles. (Plate No. - 1 B, B1)
Detailed T.S. shows the outer most 2-4 layers are composed of tangentially elongated lignified
cork cells, some of the cells filled with brown content and oil globules. (Plate no- 1 B, B1).
Cortex region is found to be 8-10 layered loosely arranged simple parenchymatous cells which
are rarely isolated with simple starch grains and tannin content. Isolated lignified pericyclic
fibres were discontinuously present in the corticle region. Some of the corticle cells filled with
rosette crystals of calcium oxalate. Cortex ends with single layered of parenchymatous
endodermis.Vascular bundles are open and collateral type, radially arranged. Xylem consists of
xylem parenchyma and fibres. Here and there xylem vessels were filled with yellowish brown
content. Xylem bundles were separated by medullary rays. Phloem is situated above the xylem
with sieve elements and fibres (Plate no- 1 B,B1). Medullary rays uni-serrate and started from
central region and extended up to inner layers of the pericyclic region filled with starch grains
(Plate no - 1 B, B1).
Transverse section of leaflet through midrib of Cassia hirsuta:
Leaflet is dorsi-ventral type & differentiated into upper palisade parenchyma and lower
mesophyll tissue. Epidermis single layered both upper and lower epidermis interrupted by
paracytic stomata. Transverse section through midrib shows large vascular bundle present at the
centre. (Plate no -3 B,B1). Epidermis single layered. Upper epidermis consists of single layered
barrel shaped compactly arranged cells. Some of the cells lead to form unicellular simple and
warty trichomes. Lower epidermis also consists of epidermal cells as in upper epidermis but
some epidermal cells interrupted by stomata; stomata are mainly paracytic in nature. Both the
epidermis is covered with thick cuticle. (Plate no -3 B, B1.). Mesophyll is differentiated into
upper palisade & lower parenchymatous layers. Palisade consists of single layered of elongated
compactly arranged cells, below the upper epidermis. Chloroplast, oil globules and Prismatic
crystals calcium oxalate are very common in palisade parenchyma. There are 3-4 layered loosely
arranged rounded to oval shaped spongy parenchyma with many air chambers located above the
lower epidermis. Oil globules and chloroplast pigments are very common in spongy
parenchymatous tissue. Vascular bundle is situated at the centre through the midrib section of the
leaf. Vascular bundle is collateral. Xylem differentiated into protoxylem & metaxylem.
Metaxylem is found towards lower epidermis & protoxylem towards upper epidermis. Xylem
composed of its parenchyma and fibres. Phloem situated beneath the xylem towards lower
epidermis and composed of some sieve elements. Vascular bundle is surrounded byfew layered
collenchymas cells which was surrounded by bundle sheeth. Parenchymatous bundle sheath
extended towards the lower epidermis.
Transverse section of seed of Cassia hirsuta:
The outer most layer of palisade cells consisting of thick walled compactly placed cells, flat at
both ends and highly refractive narrow lumen and a bulbous enlargement at lower end embedded
with yellow contents, and linealucida crossing across, near the upper surface of the palisade; and
covered with thick cuticle, which readily scales off at places from the light line.(plate no.4 B,B1)
A layer of spool shaped cells with yellow contents. 5-7 rows of tangentially elongated
parenchymatous cells with brownish yellow pigment and embedded with plenty of rosette and
very few prismatic crystals of calcium oxalate of various sizes. A layer of parenchymatous cells,
resembling somewhat to spool shaped cells and innermost collapsed celled layer of tegmen,
followed by endosperm tissue consisting of several rows of thick walled cells with reserved
carbohydrate(mucilage) swelling with water and embedded with aluerone grains, cotyledon
shows upper and lower epidermis enclosing 3-4s rows of mesophyll cells, two rows lying
underneath the later being of palisade cells; embedded with aleurone grains, fixed oil globules
and clusters and few rosette crystals of calcium oxalate.(plate no.-4 B,B1)
Powder microscopy of whole plant Cassia hirsuta:
Organoleptic characters:
Orgenoleptic characters of whole plant powder were carried out and the results are deplited in
the table no.-1.
Diagnostic powder microscopy showed that fragments of palisade parenchyma of leaf, oil
globule, rhomboidal crystals of calcium oxalate from stem and root, pollen grains of flower,
fragments of simple fibres of stem and root, fragments of lignified fibres, scleroides, fragments
of annular vessels of stem, fragments of pitted vessels of root, paracytic stomata of leaf epicarp
cells of fruit, epidermal cells of leaf, wavy parenchyma cells of leaf, Tannin content, cork in
surface view of root, epidermal cells with tannin content.(plate no. – 5 B, B1, B2, B3, B4, B5).
Discussions:
Results obtained from microscopic study of both roots showed that 2- 5 layered lignified in with
oil globules in Cassia tora whereas 2-4 layered lignified in with oil globules in Cassia hirsuta .
Cork and cortex layers of both the samples showed that large amount of lignin deposition. Cortex
with 5-7 layered in Cassia tora whereas 8-10 layered in Cassia hirsuta. Medulary rays,
perycyclic fibers, vascular bundle, xylem and phloem showed in similar arrangement. From the
results of leaflet revealed that epidermis single layered, vascular bundle and ground tissues were
similar in both species. In both the plants upper epidermis, lower epidermis, palisade
parenchyma, spongy parenchyma, ground tissue and vascular bundle were similar in
arrangements and cellular constituents. The obtained results showed that palisade layer with
narrow lumen & seeds with cuticle, present in both the plants. Upper epidermis showed in
Cassia tora 4 layered whereas 3 in Cassia hirsuta. Lower epidermis showed in Cassia tora 6
layered whereas 4 in Cassia hirsuta. Rosette crystals and fixed oils were present in both the
plant. fragments of palisade parenchyma, rosette and prismatic crystals of calcium oxalate,
fragments of lignified fibres, fragments of pitted vessels, paracytic stomata, cork in surface view,
aluerone grains, epicarp cells of fruit. Except some of the exceptional characters both powders
characters showed that presence of similar characters.
Conclusion:
Morphological studies showed that C. hirsuta plant is densely covered with hairs, which is not so
in case of C. tora. Microscopic evaluation of roots shows cork, cortex and stellar region. All the
characters were similar in leaflet, seed and organolepitc characters. But slight variations in
stomatal size, index and number which remain constant, play vital role in differentiation of
species.
References:
1. Harshal A, Pawar, Priscilla, mello MD. Cassia species linn. an overview 2011; 2(9): 22862291.
2. Nadkarni R.M., Indian Materia Medica, Popular Book Depot, Mumbai, 1954;1:291.
3. Shibata S, Morishita E, Kaheda M., Kimura Y, Takido M, Takashashi S. Chem.Pharm.Bull
1969; 17:454.
4. Raghunathan K, Hariharan V, Rangaswami S, Chrysophanol-1-β-gentiobioside, a new
anthraquinone glycoside from Cassia species Linn. Indian J.Chem 1974; 12: 1251- 1253.
5. Anonymous, The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia Of India, Part 1,VoI.1, Government Of India,
first edition, Pg.no111-143.
6.Varror E. Tyler., et al.,pharmacognosy leaandfebiger U.S.A. seventh edition 1976., reprinted
1977., pg .-2.,10.
7. Johnson Alexander Donald, 1940
8.Trease and Evans, Pharmacognosy, 15th Ed., W.B. Sunders Company Ltd. 1996 Pg.-569,
570.
Table no.-1: Organoleptic characters
Characters
C.tora
C.hirsuta
Colour
Yellow greenish
Yellow greenish
Taste
Slightly astringent Slightly astringent
Odour
Characteristic
Characteristic
Nature of powder
Coarse
Coarse
Plate no. 1: macroscopic features of plant in natural habitat:
Cassia tora
Cassia hirsuta
A-Natural habit of Cassia tora
B- Natural habit of Cassia hirsuta
Plate no. 2: T.S. of roots:
Cassia tora
Cassia hirsuta
A- Diagrametic section
A1 – Stained diagrametic section
B- Cork, cortex and vascular bundle
B1 – lignified pericyclic fiber and xylem of root
Plate no.4- T.S. of leaflet through midrib:
Cassia tora
A Diagrametic section of leaflet
midrib of C. tora
cassia hirsuta
through B- Diagrametic section of leaflet through
midrib of C. hirsuta
B1- lignified vascular bundle
A1- lignified vascular bundle
Plate no.-5- T.S. of Seeds:
Cassia tora
A- Longitudinal
Cassia hirsuta
section
with
testa, B- Longitudinal section with testa,
radial, endosperm and cotyledon
radial, endosperm and cotyledon
A1- Different layer of seed of C. tora
B1- Different layer of seed of C. hirsuta
Plate no.-6 Whole plants powder of Cassia tora and Cassia hirsuta
Cassia tora
A- Spiral vessel
Cassia hirsuta
A1- Paracytic stomata
B- Lignified
spiral B1- Paracytic stomata
vessel
A2- Prismatic crystal
A3-Border pitted vessel
B2- Border pitted vessel
B3- Prismatic crystal
A4- Pollen grain
A5- Fragment of fiber
B4- Rosette crystal
B5- Pollen grain