Preliminary Pharmacognosnostic and Physicochemical Evaluation of Aerial Parts of Ipomoea eriocarpa R.Br.

 

Rajiv Kukkar*, Mona R. Kukkar and Ajay K. Saluja

A.R. College of Pharmacy and G.H. Patel Institute of Pharmacy, Vallabh Vidyanagar, Gujarat

 

ABSTRACT:

Ipomoea eriocarpa R.Br.an extensive perennial climber with large, ovoid and tubrerous roots. Present paper deals with preliminary pharmacognostic and physicochemical evaluation of aerial part of Ipomoea eriocarpa R.Br. to establish authenticity and possibly to help to distinguish this species from other species. The study includes preparation of different extracts by successive solvent extraction for detail analysis. Fluorescence analysis of different successive extracts and powder were observed under UV light and normal ordinary light, which signifies their characteristics. Different physicochemical parameters such as ash value, extractive values and loss on drying were carried out as per WHO recommended physicochemical determinations and authentic phytochemical procedures. Preliminary qualitative chemical test for different extract showed the presence of  Phytosterols, Saponins, Carbohydrates, Resins and Fixed oils and Fats.

 

KEYWORDS: Ipomoea eriocarpa R.Br. Pharmacognostic characterization, Florescence characters, Physicochemical characters.

 

 

 

INTRODUCTION:

Though the traditional Indian System of Medicine has a long history of use, they lacked adequate scientific documentation, particularly in light modern scientific knowledge.1

Ipomoea eriocarpa R.Br.an extensive belongs to the family Convolvulaceae is a slender, twinning annual herb of grassland, waste spaces and a weed of cultivation. The seeds of the plant are used as vegetable which are nutritious with 22% proteins, 10% fat oil, 44% carbohydrate. It is commonly known as Sheetavalli in Ayurveda, Nakhari in Sanskrit, Bhanwarvel in Gujarati and Bhanwar in Punjabi. The whole plant is used medicinally in Ayurveda, Siddha and other traditional medicinal system for curing various ailments. The plant is reported to use in headache, rheumatism, leprosy, epilepsy, ulcer and fevers.2

The Leaves and stems are eaten as vegetables. The seeds are reported to conatain a resin.3

The present study is designed to explore the preliminary pharmacognostic and physicochemical analysis of Ipomoea eriocarpa R.Br. plant which are responsible for its pharmacological properties.


Table 1: Physicochemical characterization of aerial part of Ipomoea eriocarpa R.Br.

Sr. no.

WHO Parameters

Averege values (% w/w)

1

Total ash

7.67

2

Acid insoluble ash

0.85

3

Water soluble ash

2.61

4

Alcohol extractive value

21.53

5

Water extractive value

10.47

6

Loss on drying

6.8

 

 

Table 2: Florescence characteristic of aerial parts of Ipomoea eriocarpa R.Br.

Sr. no.

Particulars of the treatment

Under ordinary light

Under UV light (366 nm)

1

Powder as such

Dark green

Brick red

2

Powder + 1N NaoH (aqueous)

Green

Brick red

3

Powder + 1N NaoH (alcoholic)

Dark green

Reddish green

4

Powder + 1N HCL

Blackish green

Chocolate brown

5

Powder + H2SO4

Green

Brown

6

Powder + HNO3

Yellow

Orange

7

Powder + Ammonia

Greenish yellow

Greenish yellow

8

Powder + Iodine

Dark brown

Brown

9

Powder + 5% Fecl3

Dark yellowish

Dark brown

10

Powder + Acetic acid

Light green

Orange

 

 

Table 3: Preliminary phytoprofile of aerial parts of Ipomoea eriocarpa R.Br.

Sr. no.

Solvent used

Color Consistency

% Yield (%w/w)

1

Petroleum ether(60-800c)

Green sticky

1.4

2

Toluene

Dark green sticky

0.6

3

Chloroform

Dark green sticky

0.18

4

Acetone

Dark green sticky

0.99

5

Methanol

Dark green nonsticky

7.07

6

Water

Brown nonsticky

1.5


 

 


Table 4: Phytochemical analysis of aerial part of Ipomoea eriocarpa R.Br.

Phytochemicals

Pet ether extract

Benzene

extract

Chloroform

Extract

Acetone

extract

Methanol

extract

Water

extract

1.Steroids

A.Liebermann’s test

B.Liebermann-Burchard’test

 

+

+

 

+

+

 

+

+

 

+

+

 

+

+

 

_

_

2.Carbohydrates

A.Molisch’s reagent

B.Fehling solution

C.Barfoed’s test

 

_

_

_

 

_

_

_

 

_

_

_

 

_

_

_

 

+

+

+

 

+

+

+

3.Flavones

A.shinoda test

 

_

 

_

 

_

 

_

 

+

 

+

4. saponins

A. foam test

 

+

 

+

 

_

 

_

 

_

 

_

5.Tannins

A.Ferric chloride solution

B.Lead acetate solution

 

_

_

 

_

_

 

_

_

 

_

_

 

+

+

 

+

+

6. Alkaloid

A. Dragondroff  test

B. Mayer test

C. Hager test

 

_

_

_

 

_

_

_

 

_

_

_

 

_

_

_

 

_

_

_

 

_

_

_

7. Proteins and amino acid

A.Millon’s reagent

B.Biuret test

 

_

_

 

_

_

 

_

_

 

_

_

 

+

+

 

+

+

(+ Present, - Absent)

 


 

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Aerial parts of Ipomoea eriocarpa R.Br. were collected from campus of New Vallabh Vidyanagar in September and were authentified by Taxonomist, Department of Biosciences, S P University, V.V. Nagar. Aerial parts were shed dried and powdered to 40-mesh size. The physicochemical parameters were determined as per WHO guidelines.1 Fluorescence analysis was carried out according to the reported method.4,5 Powdered material was successively extracted with petroleum ether 60-800, benzene, chloroform, acetone, methanol in Soxhlet’s apparatus and subsequently extracted with water. These extracts were subjected for qualitative chemical examination of various phyto- constituents.6,7

 

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS:

Physicochemical values and Fluorescence characters of the aerial parts of powder under ordinary light and UV light (UV 366 nm) were determined (Table 1, 2). Ash values of drug (7.67%) revealed the presence of earthy matter or the inorganic composition and other impurities etc. Further acid insoluble ash value (0.85%) indicates the contamination with silicious material i.e. sand. However water soluble ash value (2.61%) revealed the water soluble salts in the ash of drug. All these values are within the normal limit.

 

Solvent extraction values determine the amount of active constituents in a given amount of medicinal plant material when extracted with solvents. Extractive values are primarily useful for the determination of exhausted or adulterated drugs.  Higher alcohol extractive value (21.53 %) for this plant indicated that more amounts of active constituents are soluble in alcohol than water (Water soluble extractive value 10.47 %) (Table-3). Loss on drying determines both water and volatile matter in the aerial part of Ipomoea eriocarpa R.Br. Excess moisture can result in the breakdown of important constituents by enzymatic activity and may encourage the growth of yeast and fungi during storage. Loss on drying value for this plant revealed drug was correctly prepared and stored.

 

Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of Phytosterols, Saponins, Resins, Carbohydrates, Fixed oils and Fats and however it was devoid of Alkaloids (table-4).

 

Studies on physicochemical constants and phytochemical screening can serve as a valuable source of information and provide suitable standards to determine the quality of this plant material in future investigations or applications.

 

CONCLUSION

The present study on preliminary pharmacognostic and phytochemical evaluation of Ipomoea eriocarpa R.Br. plant could be used as the diagnostic tool for the standardization of medicinal plant. WHO parameters as per WHO guideline discussed here, can be considered as the identifying parameters to substantiate and authenticate the drug.

 

REFERENCES:

1.       World Health Organisation, Quality Control Methods for Medicinal Plant Materials, WHO, Geneva, 1998.

2.       The wealth of India:Raw materials vol 5, National Institute of Science Communication, CSIR, New Delhi.pp.248-249.

3.       Kirtikar KR and Basu BD, Indian medicinal plants, Vol.III, International book distributors, Dehradun.pp.1728-1729.

4.       Chase CR and Pratt RJ, Fluorescence of powdered vegetable drugs with particular reference to development of a system of identification, J.Am.Pharmacol.Assoc. 38, 1949, pp.32.

5.       Kokate CK, Practical Pharmacognosy, 1st ed. Vallabh Prakashan, New Delhi, 1986b, pp.111.

6.       Harborne JB, Methods of extraction and isolation. In: Phytochemical Methods.Champman and Hall, London, 1998, pp.60-66.

7.       Brain KR and Turner TD, The Practical Evaluation of Phytopharmaceuticals, Wright-Scientechnica. Bristol, 1975b, pp.36-45.

 

 

Received on 30.04.2011

Accepted on 31.08.2011     

© A&V Publication all right reserved

Research Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry. 3(6): Nov. - Dec. 2011, 275-277