A COMPARATIVE PHARMACOGNOSTICAL INVESTIGATION BETWEEN FEMALE AND MALE LEAF OF JYOTISMATI (Celastrus paniculatus)

Headnote

ABSTRACT

Jyotismati (Celastrus paniculatus) is a woody climber belongs to the family Celastraceae; a well known herbal tranquilizer, distributed through the tropical and subtropical regions of India. The present study is concerned with the detail pharmacognostical approach on the fresh and powdered leaf of Jyotismati, traditionally used as a emmanogogue and having different folk use like sedative, wound healing, antirheumatic effect etc. It is a dioceious plant, so the male and female plant is separate there. For the first time in this study comparative Pharmacognostical work is carried out with both of the male and female leaf and prominent differential characters are found during the investigation; like- In morphological study the male leaf having extra dark leaf with comeratively more twisted petiole than the female, in microscopical study also the distinction is found as the presence of fibre is found below the vascular bundle in case of male leaf but it is absent in female leaf. The detail Pharmacognostical work regarding its leaf of both sexes may help to evaluate the clue about the pharmacological property lied between the leaves of jyotismati.

Keywords: Jyotismati; leaf; stomata.

INTRODUCTION

Research regarding medicinal plant is a highlighted issue today. A growing acceptability towards the herbal medicine is the main cause of it. Celastrus paniculatus, basically a woody climber, is considered as one of the herbs of Vedic lore. In several studies seed oil activity was explored. So far nobody reported about the pharmacognostical difference of female and male plants of jtotismati. Keeping this in view the present study was planned to carry out pharmacognostic studies on the leaf of both the plants (Male and female). Both macroscopical and microscopical difference exists between the male and female. Many members of plant kingdom exist as male and female plant separately. They are known botanically as dioecious plant. Sometimes both the sexes are also appear distinctly with pharmacognostical features (eg.-Piper betel). From this concept the present study is being carried out on the male and female leaf of Jyostismati. And found a vast of difference both from the macroscopical and microscopical point of view of these two species. The classical pharmacological action as a emmenogogue of jyotismati leaf and a lots of ethnopharmacological uses of this leaf make it more beneficial. Modern research works also claim its anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antirheumatic etc. effect. The seed oil is used randomly for its potent tranquilizing, sedative, antirheumatic activity. Due to the rational use of this plant, it became endangered by the time. So a rush into the market of its adulterants is occurred now days, because no substitute is suitably found of this variety. Hence there is a need for proper identification of the authentic species is required to get the proper pharmacological action of the plant, which is possible by its proper detail Pharmacognostical study only. As the study regarding its seed have been done in thorough manner from both Pharmacognostical and pharmacological point of view and not so remarked works have been done on its leaf so for the first time the distinct pharmacognosy between the male and female leaf of jyotismati is done in the present study.1-2,4,5

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Collection of Plant material

Fresh male and female leaf of Celastrus paniculatus were collected from the wild of Junagadh and Jamnagar, Gujarat. The collected samples were identified by using various floras and texts and authenticated by Botanical Survey of India, Shivpur, Howrah, West Bengal. The verified specimen was preserved in the departmental herbarium museum for future reference. The samples were preserved in the solution of F.A.A. (70% Ethyl alcohol: Glacial acetic acid: Formalin in the ratio of 90:5:5) for the histological profile.

Pharmacognostic evaluation

Macroscopic evaluation: Macroscopic characters like the shape, size etc. of the lamina of both the male and female leaf were recorded.

Organoleptic evaluation: The colour, odour, and taste of the male and female leaf were recorded separately.

Microscopic evaluation: Free hand sections were taken, cleared with chloral hydrate and then with phloroglucinol and hydrochloric acid. Microphotographs were taken by using Carl Zeiss binocular microscope.

Surface study: After thoroughly studying the surface character of both the male and female leaf the distinct characters were recorded.

Powder microscopy: Shade dried leaves of male and female leaf of Celastrus paniculatus were separately powdered under mesh 60 no. Individual powder studied under the microscope with distilled water. Microphotographs were taken by using Carl Zeiss binocular microscope.

Histochemical tests: Histochemical tests for few constituents like Calcium oxalate, tannin, etc. were also carried out.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Macroscopic evaluation3

The shape of the male leaf is ovate to oblong,leaf base is narrower where as the female leaf is ovate to oblong and leaf base is not narrower but form an exact elliptical shape. Male leaf lamina is Lamina in Length-10.7-12.8cm; Bredth- 5.7-5.9cm. Female leaf lamina is Lamina length-9.1-9.8cm; Bredth-5.9-6.3cm. The upper epidermis is smooth in case of male where as in case of female it is comparably rough and the lower surface of the male leaf is more pubescent than the female leaf. (Figure 1)

Organoleptic evaluation

However, not so much organoleptically distinction was found between the male and female leaf but a distinction in colour was found clearly between the two species. The characters were given below in table format by table 1.

Microscopic evaluation6

The detail study of the transverse section explore the characteristics in male like well developed stele and two Meristele; fibres present below the main vascular bundle and Upper epidermis blunted at the region of midrib were found. Where as in case of female in the transverse section well developed stele without distinctly separated Meristele; fibres absent below the main vascular bundle and Upper epidermis pointed and cone shaped at the region of midrib were found (Figure 2).

The petiole of the male leaf contains double moon curved margin wheres as in case of female the single moon curved margin was found (Figure 3, 4). Fibres are rich below the vascular bundle in male leaf petiole where as those are less in number in case of female leaf petiole.

Surface study3

Surface study of the two species explored that the male having unicellular, multicellular as well as glandular trichomes whereas the female leaf only having the multicellular trichome (Figure 5). Male leaf contains anisocytic stomata and the female showed both diacytic and anisocytic stomata. (Figure 6, 7)

Powder microscopy

The powder microscopic character showed in case of male leaf both the spiral and pitted vessel whereas in case of female only spiral vessel from vascular bundles. (Figure 8) Unicellular, multicellular and glandular trichome seen in case of male leaf and only multicellular trichomes from epidermis were seen in case of female (Figure 9). Prismatic crystal seen within the trichome (Figure 10) in case of male leaf but its not found under the female powder microscopy.

Histochemical Tests

Histochemical tests were carried out for both the species and they were depicted below in table 2.

After performing the detail pharmacognosy of male and female leaf of Celastrus paniculatus those distinct characters between the male and female leaf were explored: Male leaf

. Lamina is with dark greenish complexion with twisted petiole

. Microscopy shows fibres below the vascular bundle.

. Petiole double moon curved with glandular trichomes were also seen.

. Powder characteristics shows pitted and spiral vessel. Female Leaf

. Lamina is light green and straight petiole.

. No fibres seen under the vascular bundle.

. Single moon curved petiole with non glandular trichome.

. Only spiral vessel seen.

. Trichome containing crystal seen under powder microscopy of female leaf.

The present study for the first time reported the difference in pharmacognostical characteristics of both the plants. Scientific research for evaluation of root and leaf activities may be taken up to compare them with seed oil pharmacological profiles and on the basis of marker compounds and DNA study profiles.

CONCLUSION

After performing the detail pharmacognosy between the male and female leaf of Celastrus paniculatus, it can be concluded that various Pharmacognostical difference establish between the two species, which is for the first time presenting through the present study.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Authors are very thankful to Prof. Malati chauhan, Dr M S Bhagel and Dr H R Daduk for their kind support and guidance

References

REFERENCES

1. Review on- Indian Medicinal Plant (ICMR), New Delhi, Vol 5, 2004.

2. Flora of Guarat State by G L Shah, Sardar Patel University, Vallabh Vidyanagar, 1978, Part I, pp 1-602.

3. Trease and Evans Pharmacognosy, by William Charles Evans, Saunders Elsevier, 2009.

4. Dictionary of Indian Folk Medicine and Ethnobotany by Dr S K Jain, Deep publication, 1991.

5. Propagation and agrotechnology status of commercially important medicinal plant species of the project area of andhra pradesh community forest management project by D K Ved, Sumy Oomen, Archana Singh, FRLHT, July 2002.

6. Krishnamurty K B, Method in the plant histochemistry, Viswanadhan Pvt, Lmited, Madras, 1998; 1-77.