Pharmacognostic Studies of Psychotria rubra(Lour.)Poir.

Objective: Various traditional systems of medicine enlightened the importance of Psychotria rubra (Lour.) Poir to have a great medicinal value. The present study was carried out to provide a scientific basis of the identification and the authenticity of Psychotria rubra (Lour.) Poir with the help of pharmacognostic parameters, which is not done before. Methods: Roots, stems, and leaves of P. rubra were collected for Pharmacognostic studies involving macros, microscopic evaluation, histochemistry and physicochemical parameters analysis like Ash value, Moisture content, Fluorescence analysis and Thin Layer Chromatography et al. Results: Transverse section of root was found like stone cells, calcium oxalate crystal and vessels in circular shape. Transverse section of stem showed the presence of lenticels and stone cell bands. Transverse section of leaf vein revealed the presence of shaft type of porosity. Powder microscopy revealed the presence of cork cells, stone cells, crystals and resin, fibers, needle crystal beam, thread tracheid and scalariform tracheid. Phytochemical investigation was found like alkaloids, flavones, carbohydrates, saponins, tannins and volatile oils. Results obtained in physicochemical parameters like Total ash value, acid insoluble ash and moisture content were 9.77%, 0.68% and 1.28%, respectively. The leaching degree of P. rubra was higher in ethanol(75%, v/v) and methanol solutions than that in chloroform, petroleum ether, and tetrachloromethane solutions. Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) of the extract revealed 4 spots with the Rf values 0.47, 0.46, 0.46, 0.47 with the solvent system of chloroform: methanol: water: formic acid(7:3:1:0.1). Conclusion: The observations confirmed that P. rubra has an obvious Pharmacognostic characteristics, which will be useful towards providing a reliable basis for identification, purity, quality and classification of the plant.