Pharmacognostic Evaluation of Indigenous Medicinal Plant Kedrostis foetidissima (Jacq.) Cogn.

Introduction: Ingeneral, members of Cucurbitaceae are well exploited for their medicinal, economic and culinary values,however few of them are less exploited.The present study deals with pharamcognostical evaluation ofone such plant namely Kedrostis foetidissima (Jacq.) Cogn.called as Appakovai in Tamil. Methods: Pharmacognostic evaluationswere carried out by organoleptic evaluation, anatomical studies and powder microscopy of leaves, roots and root tubers. Results: Organoleptic evaluation revealed that the characteristic white tubers, as storage organs, leaves exhibited a foetid odour when crushed. Anatomy of leaves showed lithocysts and anomocytic stomata,root showed the presence of fissured periderm and cleaved vascular bundlesand that of root tubers showed 3 or 4 exarch xylem. Powder microscopy of root tubers showed narrow and wide fibers; long, narrow and drum shaped vessels and scattered sclereids. Conclusion: The present Pharmacognostic and Powder microscopic studiesreveals that, the characteristic features of this plantparts resembles, the other members of cucurbitaceae.

Key words:Kedrostis foetidissima, Pharmacognosy, Powder microscopy.