Pharmacognostical evaluation of medicinally important Ficus retusa (Leaves and bark)

Alok Semwal, Ratendra Kumar, Udai Vir Singh Teotia, Ramandeep Singh

1Department of Pharmacy, Shri Venkateshwara University, Gajraula, U.P (India)

2Meerut Institute of Engineering & Technology, Meerut-250005, UP (India)

3Department of Pharmacy, Himachal Institute of Pharmacy, Paonta Sahib-173025, H.P (India)

Pharmacognostical evaluation of medicinally important Ficus retusa (Leaves and bark)

Alok Semwal1*, Ratendra Kumar2, Udai Vir Singh Teotia1, Ramandeep Singh3

1Department of Pharmacy, Shri Venkateshwara University, Gajraula, U.P (India)

2Meerut Institute of Engineering & Technology, Meerut-250005, UP (India)

3Department of Pharmacy, Himachal Institute of Pharmacy, Paonta Sahib-173025, H.P (India)

Phytochemical

Standardization

Macroscopical

Microscopical

Ficus retusa (F. retusa) belongs to family Moraceae is a large and extensively growing tree across Indian continent. It’s commonly known as Chilkan and Marabuten. This tree is claimed to have medicinal properties. The aim of present study is to investigate the pharmacognostical characters of important medicinal plant, F. retusa L. The pharmacognostic studies were carried out in terms of macroscopical, microscopical characters, standardization, phytoconstituents and chromatographic analysis of F. retusa leaf and bark. Various standard methods were adopted to carry out the investigation.

1. Introduction

India has an ancient heritage of traditional medicine. Indian traditional medicines based on various systems including Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homeopathy. Since the beginning of the mankind plants have been the major source of medicinally important phytoconstituents in Indian system of medicine and other ancient systems in the world. The evaluation of these constituents is primarily based on phytochemical, pharmacological and analytical approaches. There are number of plants used as medicinal plants[1].

The genus Ficus belongs to family Moraceae. This genus includes some 750 species of woody plants and is remarkable for the large variation in the habits of its species. In India, the some important species of Ficus includes Ficus bengalensis (F. bengalensis), Ficus religiosa (F. religiosa), Ficus carica (F. carica), Ficus racemosa (F.racemosa) and Ficus elastic (F. elastic). Ficus retusa (F. retusa) is a rapidly-growing, rounded, broad-headed, evergreen shrub or tree that can reach 15 metres (49 ft) or more in height with an equal spread. The smooth, light grey trunk is quite striking, can grow to around 1 metre (3.3 ft) in diameter, and it firmly supports the massively spreading canopy. The glossy, dark green, leathery leaves are densely clothed on large, somewhat weeping branches and are usually infested with thrips. F. retusa have been used traditionally as aphrodisiac, antihypertensive, anticancer, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, gastroprotective, antidiabetic, anthelmintic, antimalarial, anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antimicrobial[2-10]. Root, barks and leaves of F. retusa are used in wounds and bruises. Dried roots are mixed with salt are applied to decaying or aching tooth. Roots are also used in the treatment of liver diseases[11]. These beneficial effects of plant materials typically result from the combinations of numerous phytoconstituents. These phytoconstituents are synthesized and deposited in specific parts or in all parts of the plant[12]. This research is an attempt to identify these medicinally important phytoconstituents as well as to standardize the plantmaterial in terms of various pharmacognostic parameters.

2. Material and methods involved in F. retusa research

2.1. Processing of plant material

The Plant material F. retusa (Leaves and bark) was collected from Poanta Sahib, Himachal Pradesh, India and identified by the Botanist Dr. R. M Painuli, Incharge GUH, Harbarium Department of botany, H. N. B. Garhwal University (A Central University) (U.K.) India. The leaves and bark is separately dried in shade and preserved in air tight container. The dried leaves and bark is than powdered in mixture grinder.

2.2. Plant extracts chemicals and reagents

The powdered mixture (Leaves and bark) was extracted successively with petroleum ether, chloroform, acetone, methanol and water. All the extracts thus obtained and kept in desiccators for future use. All the other chemical and reagents used in this study are analytical grade and used without further purification.

2.3. Development of standard analytical parameters[10]

Macroscopical evaluation, microscopic studies, physical parameters such as foreign matter, ash values, fluorescence analysis, extractive value, moisture content and preliminary phytochemical analysis of various extracts of F. retusa were performed according to the standard official methods[13,14].

Thin layer chromatography analysis of petroleum ether, chloroform, acetone, ethanol and aqueous extracts were carried out in various solvents according to the standard protocols[15-17].

3. Results involved in F. retusa research

3.1. Foreign organic matter

Foreign organic matter means the material consisting of material not coming from the original plant source or not covered by definition of the herbal drug. It also includes insects, moulds and other animal contamination, parts of the organ or organs from which the drug is derived. The results of foreign matter were recorded in the form of % w/w (Table 1).

Table 1Foreign organic matter.

3.2. Extractive values

This method determines the amount of active constituents extracted with solvents from a given amount of medicinal plant material. It is employed for materials for which as yet no suitable chemical or biological assay exists. The air dried, accurately weighed drug was treated with solvents: petroleum ether, chloroform, acetone, ethanol and water. The values were recorded in Table 2.

Table 2.Extractive values.

3.3. Ash value

Ash value is used to determine quality and purity of a crude drug. It contains inorganic radicals like phosphates, carbonates and silacates of sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium etc. The results of ash values were given in Table 3.

Table 3.Ash value.

Table 5.Fluorescence studies.

3.4. Determination of moisture (loss on drying)

The most common method for the determination of moisture is to heat the drug till one gets constant weight at 100℃. For the substances which undergo change with consequent loss of weight at a temperature of 100℃, other methods are used. A result of the total moisture contant of the crude drug is given in Table 4.

Table 4.Loss on drying.

Table 6.Preliminary phytochemical screening.

Table 6.Preliminary phytochemical screening.

3.5. Fluorescence analysis

The drug powder was taken and treated with various chemical reagents like sulphuric acid, hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, 5% iodine solution, 10% sodium hydroxide solution, picric acid and ammonium solution, Methanol, Ethanol, Chloroform, Petroleum ether, Distilled water and the color obtained was visualized under ordinary light, short UV light (254 nm) and Long UV light (366 nm) in UV chamber. The results were recorded in Table 5.

Figure 1. F. retusa (whole plant).

3.6. Phytochemical screening

The various extracts of stem bark of F. retusa were subjected to qualitative chemical examination for the presence or absence of alkaloids, carbohydrates, flavanoids, proteins, saponins and tannins, phenolic compounds and glycosides. The results of preliminary phytochemical screening were recorded in Table 6.

3.7. Thin layer chromatography

TLC studies of the petroleum ether, chloroform, acetone, ethanol and aqueous extracts were carried out in various solvents at 30 ℃ using silica gel G as adsorbent[17]. The solvent systems, developer used and the Rfvalues are given in Table 7.

Table 8.Macroscopical characteristics F. retusa Bark.

Table 7.Chromatographic studies.

Table 9.Macroscopical characteristics of F. retusa leaves.

4. Conclusion

It has been identified that pharmacological studies that have been carried out on various medicinal plants were conducted using uncharacterized crude extracts. Thus, it is difficult to reproduce the results of these studies and that’s why it is very difficult to identify the phytochemical responsible for the activity. Hence, there is a need of phytochemical standardization and bioactivity-guided identification of phytochemicals. We are hoping that the outcome of such pharmacogonostic and phytochemical studies may further help in determining the therapeutic potential of F. retusa.

Conflict of interest statement

We declare that we have no conflict of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

Acknowledgement

The authors are thankful to the authorities of Department of Pharmacy, Shri Venkateshwara University, Gajraula, U.P for providing support to the study and other necessary facility like internet surfing, library and other technical support to write this review article.

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ment heading

10.1016/S2221-6189(13)60148-1

8 July 2013

*Corresponding author: Alok Semwal, Research Scholar, Department of Pharmacy, Shri Venkateshwara University, Gajraula, U.P (India).

Tel: +91-9736295124

E-mail: alokm.pharm01@gmail.com

ARTICLE INFO

Article history:

Received in revised form 15 August 2013

Accepted 25 August 2013

Available online 20 December 2013