Pharmacognostical Studies on Stem of Fagonia schweinfurthii Hadidi

Manoj K. Rathore*, Mahesh C. Sharma, M. Goyal, G. K. Singh and B. P. Nagori

Lachoo Memorial College of Science and Technology, Pharmacy Wing, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India

ABSTRACT:

Fagonia is a genus of plant in the family Zygophyllaceae is represented in Egypt by 18 species but it was represented by 15 species in Boulos, 2000 and by about 167 species around Mediterranean, Asia and in the North America. Fagonia schweinfurthii (family Zygophyllaceae) is a plant of desert region. It is commonly known as dhamasa and dhamasia. It is small, spiny, erect, undershrubs, more and less grandullar; branches slander, terete, triage, glabrous. Leaves opposite, 1-3 foliate; petioles very variable in length, from 3 - 30 mm long, deeply striate, very slender; stipules 2 pairs of sharp slender thorns, sometimes exceeding 12 mm in length; leaflets linear, acute, sessile or with very short petiolules. Traditionally, the plant has been used to cure a number of ailments by the people living in desert region such as skin eruptions, in heal sores, skin diseases, anti-pyretic, in pain relief, ear infection, venereal diseases, etc. many other diseases. The present paper deals with comprehensive pharmacognostical studies on stem part of this plant, including macroscopical analysis, preliminary examination of stem powder, florescence analysis. This will help in the identification of powder drug prior using in any herbal formulations.

KEYWORDS: Fagonia schweinfurthii, skin disease, venereal disease, macroscopical analysis.

INTRODUCTION:

Desert plants are unique adaptation from environmental conditions. Fagonia L. occurs in warm and arid regions of all continents except Australia. Fagonia is a genus of plant in the family Zygophyllaceae is represented in Egypt by 18 species but it was represented by 15 species in Boulos, 2000 and by about 167 species around Mediterranean, Asia and in the North America^8,12. This species has a restricted global distribution occurring in Pakistan and India. Within India, it has been recorded in the upper gangetic plains and Tamil Nadu (Coimbatore, Ramnathapuram)^12,14^,. Species of Fagonia were taxonomically and ecologically studied in different studies. Fagonia species were extensively studied by many workers regarding their medicinal uses, since these plants were antitumor, antioxidant, analgesic, astringent, febrifuge and prophylactic against small-pox agents, species of Fagonia were also used for the treatment of cancer in the indigenous system, fever, asthma, urinary discharges, toothache, stomach troubles and kidney diseases²⁵. Species of Fagonia have been found to contain saponins, alkaloids, terpenoids, sterols, flavonoids, proteins and amino acids, coumarins, trace elements⁸.

Fagonia schweinfurthii (family zygophyllaceae) is a plant of desert region. It is found from arid and semiarid areas of Rajasthan state in India in Jodhpur, Barmer, Bikaner, Churu, Jaiselmer, Jhunjhunu, Sikar and Shri Ganganagar districts. It is commonly known as dhamasa and dhamasia. It is small, spiny, erect, undershrubs, more and less grandullar; branches slander, terete, triate, glabrous.

Leaves opposite, 1-3 foliate; petioles very variable in length, from 3 - 30 mm long, deeply striate, very slender; stipules 2 pairs of sharp slender thorns, sometimes exceeding 12 mm in length; leaflets linear, acute, sessile or with very short petiolules²⁰. Traditionally, the plant has been used to cure a number of ailments by the people living in desert region such as skin eruptions, in heal sores, skin diseases, anti-pyretic, in pain relief, ear infection, venereal diseases, etc. many other diseases^11,
12.

The present paper deals with comprehensive pharmacognostical studies on stem part of this plant, including macroscopical analysis, preliminary examination of stem powder, florescence analysis, as well as behaviour of stem powder with different chemical reagents. This will help in the identification of powder drug prior using in any herbal formulations.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Collection of plant materials:

This plant was collected from the Mandore hills of Jodhpur (Rajasthan) in the month of March, and authenticated by Botanical Survey of India, Jodhpur. The specimen has been submitted to the Departement of Pharmacognosy, Lachoo Memorial College of Science andTechnology, Jodhpur and Rajasthan for future reference.

Macroscopical Analysis:

Shade dried stem of Fagonia schweinfurthii was evaluated for its morphological and sensory profile by observing of its colour, odour, taste, size, shapes, special feature like touch, texture and fracture^{1, 4, 6, 9, 11,
13, 23}.

Powder Analysis of stem powder:

Powdered drug was cleared with chloral hydrate solution by heating on water bath for 5 mins. and it was placed on a microscolpical glass slide with a brush , mounted with glycerine and treated with different staining reagents to give different color reactions for indication of presence or absence of respective cell contents^{7,
10, 15, 18}.

Florescence Analysis of stem powder:

Florescence analysis of stem powder of Fagonia schweinfurthii was carried out by the treatment of different chemical reagents such as 50% H₂SO₄, 50% HNO₃, 5% KOH, CH₃OH, 1N HCl, 1N methonolic NaOH, C₂H₅OH (95%), 1N ethonolic NaOH, acetone with it and powder as such and it was observed under visible and UV light for florescence^{2, 3, 5, 6, 10, 11, 12,
13, 17, 26 .}

Physicochemical parameters:

Different physicochemical parameters such as foreign organic matter, loss on drying, swelling index, foaming index, total ash value, acid insoluble ash value, water soluble ash value, sulphated ash value, ether extractive value, ethanolic extractive value and water soluble extractive value were determined as per standard procedures recommended in WHO guideline^{2, 5, 9, 10, 19, 22, 23, 24}.

Examination of powdered plant material (stem) for preliminary tests:

The stem powder was examined for its organoleptic characteristics and the general and micro chemical tests were performed with powder and its aqueous extract^{16, 21, 24}.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION:

Macroscopical Analysis:

The stems of Fagonia schweinfurthii are 5-10 cm. long and 4-9 mm in diameter. The wood of the stem is white, very hard and covered with a ragged light brown bark which becomes shiny and mucilaginous when moistened. Odour characteristics, taste bitter and acrid, slightly wrinkled surface, fracture is short Fig: 1.

Powder Analysis of stem powder:

Powder microscopic examination of the stem powder of Fagonia schweinfurthii revealed the presence of parenchymatous tissues, starch, tannin, cellulose, oil glands and lignified tissue. The result of powder microscopic of stem powder is shown in Table [1].

Florescence Analysis of stem powder:

The stem powder of Fagonia schweinfurthii was treated with different chemical reagents and observed under visible and UV light. The result of florescence analysis of stem powder is shown in Table [2].

Table [2]: Florescence analysis of stem powdered of Fagonia schweinfurthii.

Treatment of powder stem

Florescence observed

Under Visible light

Under UV light

Powder as such

50%H2SO4

50%HNO3

5% KOH

CH3OH

1N HCl

1N methonolic NaOH

C2H5OH (95%)

1N ethonolic NaOH

Acetone

Light green

Dark green

Green

Grey

Yellow

Grey

Yellow

Light yellow

Yellow

Grey

Physicochemical parameters:

Table [3]: Represent the results of physicochemical parameters of stem powder Fagonia schweinfurthii.

Parameter

Limits

Foreign organic matter

Loss on drying

Swelling index

Foaming index

Total ash value

Acid insoluble ash value

Water soluble ash value

Sulphated ash value

Ether extractive value

Ethanolic extractive value

Water extractive value

0.34%

9.0% w/w

6.0%

Less than 100

8.44%

0.5%

1.95%

13.60%

1.61%

22.40%

23.20%

Examination of powdered plant material (stem) for preliminary tests:

The stem powder was examined for its organoleptic characteristics and the general and microchemical tests were performed with powder and its aqueous extract. Results are shown in Table [4].

Table [4]: Preliminary examination of stem powdered of Fagonia schweinfurthii.

S. No.

Test

Observation

Result

Organoleptic chacteristics:-

Colour

Odour

Taste

Light green

Characterstic

Bitter

General and Microchemical tests

(With powder/Aq. Ext.) Test for

I) Saponins

(Powder + dist. water)

Frothing

II) Tannins

(Powder+FeCl₃sol)

Dark colourations

III) Anthraquinones

a) (Powder + Ammonia sol.)

b) (Powder + 5% w/v KOH sol.)

Ammonical layer

showed no pink colour

No blood red colour

IV) Mucilage

(Powder + dist. water)

Swelling with water

V) Carbohydrates

(Powder + Molisch’s reagent)

Violet ring formed

VI) Alkaloids

(Powder + General Reagents)

a) Dragadroff’s reagent

b) Hager’s reagent

c) Mayer’s reagent

d) Wagner’s reagent

No brownish red colour

No yellow colouration

No creamy ppt

No orange-brown ppt

VII) Oils

(Powder + Filter paper)

No greasy spot

VIII) Flavanoids

(Powder + Aqueous NaOH)

No dark yellow colour

IX) Starch

(Powder + Iodine)

Blue colour

X) Steroids

(Powder + Conc.H₂SO₄)

Reddish brown colour

CONCLUSION:

In the present study, some pharmacognostical parameters such as macroscopical characteristics, florescence analysis of drugs as well as preliminary examination of the stem powder for organoleptic characteristics and general chemical tests have been carried out. In conclusion these studies can be used successfully in commercial and routine laboratory works for identification of powder drug from Fagonia schweinfurthii prior using in any herbal formulations.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

We are thankful to Dr. B. P. Nagori, (Director, Pharmacy Wing) for providing us a platform for this research work.

We are especially thankful to Professor (Dr.) G.K. Singh, (Head, Dept. of Pharmacognosy) for his valuable guidance and precious time.

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Received on 12.10.2011

Modified on 18.11.2011

Accepted on 27.11.2011

Research Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry. 4(1): Jan. - Feb. 2012, 7-10

S. No.	Test for	Reagent	Observation	Result
1.	Parenchymatous tissue	Safranin	Pink colour	+
2.	Starch	Iodine	Blue colour	+
3.	Tannin	FeCl3 solution (10% w/v)	Black colour	+
4.	Cellulose	Conc. H2SO4	Green colour	+
5.	Lignified tissue	Dil HCl + Pinch of phloroglucinol	Magenda colour	+
6.	Oil glands	Sudan red III	No pink colour	-
7.	Mucilage	Ruthenium red	Pink colour	+
8.	Calcium carbonate crystals	Conc. HCl	No effervescence	-
9.	Calcium oxalate crystals	Cons. H2SO4	No effervescence	-