Microscopic Investigations and Pharmacognosy of Striga

Striga Orobanchioides Benth (Family— Scrophulariaceae), is a leecher plant, lives on the roots of diverse plants principally on Euphoria antiguorum, Dysophylla and Lepidagathis and is dispensed up to 6000 ft in the hillocks, habitually on red and gravelly soils.1 In Ayurveda, the plant is narrated as antidiabetic.2 Primary learning have manifested noteworthy anti-implantation and estrogenic activity of ethanolic and distilled water extracts of the whole plant S. orobanchoides.3 The ethanolic extract has also manifested noteworthy antiandrogenic,4 antibacterial,5 antihistaminic and mast cell stabilising activities.6 Among the ethanolic extract, two known flavonoids, apigenin and luteolin which have also manifested antifertility properties have been isolated.7,8 Except for these studies, so far, no other chemical and biological investigations have been carried out on this plant.


Striga
Orobanchioides Benth (Family-Scrophulariaceae), is a leecher plant, lives on the roots of diverse plants principally on Euphoria antiguorum, Dysophylla and Lepidagathis and is dispensed up to 6000 ft in the hillocks, habitually on red and gravelly soils. 1 In Ayurveda, the plant is narrated as antidiabetic. 2 Primary learning have manifested noteworthy anti-implantation and estrogenic activity of ethanolic and distilled water extracts of the whole plant S. orobanchoides. 3 The ethanolic extract has also manifested noteworthy antiandrogenic, 4 antibacterial, 5 antihistaminic and mast cell stabilising activities. 6 Among the ethanolic extract, two known flavonoids, apigenin and luteolin which have also manifested antifertility properties have been isolated. 7,8 Except for these studies, so far, no other chemical and biological investigations have been carried out on this plant.
Hence, the current study was done to delineate pharmacognosy of the stem of plant Striga Orobanchioides Benth (Scrophulariaceae).

Chemicals and instruments
Potassium hydroxide, hydrochloric acid, Phloroglucinol, glycerin and all other chemicals used in the study were of analytical grade. Rotary microtome was used for taking sections.

Plant material
The plant specimen for the offered study was collected from Pimparne Mountain, Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra in August 2018 and was authenticated by Dr. Wabale Anil Sopanrao Head of Department of Botany PVP college of Arts, Science and Commerce, Pravaranagar, vide letter number PVPC/ 2018-19-HD-45 dated 28/08/2018, Specimen no. SRV 123.

Macroscopic and microscopic analysis
The paraffin embedded specimens of Striga Orobanchioides were sectioned in with the help of rotary microtome. The thickness of the sections was 10 to 12 micrometer. The waxing of the sections was by customary procedure. 9 The sections were stained with toluidine blue as per the method published by O'Brien et al. 10 Since toluidine blue is a polychromatic stain.
The staining results were remarkably good and some site of chemical reactions were also obtained. For studying the stomatal morphology, venation pattern and trichome distribution, paradermal sections as well as clearing of leaf with 5% sodium hydroxide or epidermal peeling by partial maceration employing Jeffrey's maceration fluid 11 were prepared. Glycerin mounted temporary preparations were made for macerated materials. Powdered materials of different parts were cleared with sodium hydroxide and mounted in glycerin medium after Figure 1.
Photographs of different magnifications were taken with Nikon lab photo 2 microscopic unit. For normal observations bright field was used. For the study of crystals starch grains and lignified cells polarized light was employed. Since these structures have birefringent property under polarized light they appear bride against dark background. Magnifications of the figures are indicated by the scale-bars. Descriptive terms of the anatomical features are as given in the standard anatomy books. 12 Determination of leaf constants

Physiochemical analysis
Different extractive values like alcohol soluble extractive, water soluble extractive values and Ash values were carried out by standard methods of IP. 13 Foreign organic matter was ascertained from the weight of the drug taken and moisture content was ascertained by loss on drying method in terms of percent w/w as per standard procedure raised in Indian Pharmacopoeia. 14 Preliminary phytochemical screening Preliminary phytochemical screening was accomplished using standard procedure ascertained by Kokate (1994). 15

Macroscopic characteristics
A pubescent herb 2-24 in. high; stems and branches angular, leaves scale-like, opposite, alternate and scattered.

Microscopic characteristics
a) Young stem: the young stem is conical in sectional view with one end being thick and the opposite end narrow (Figure 1.1) The stem consist of thin epidermal layer, fairly wide cortex and thin vascular cylinder. The pith is disintegrated or retained as homogeneous parenchymatous tissue (Figures 1.1 and 1.2) The vascular cylinder is thin comprising xylem cells and phloem elements (Figure 1.2). The xylem elements consist of narrow angular thin walled vessels and narrow thick walled fibers. Phloem elements are in thin compressed layers. b) Old Stem: the old stem is conical with broad end measuring 2 mm thick and narrow end measuring 1 mm thick ( Figure 2).
The wider part of the stem has thin less prominent epidermal layer followed internally followed by some 4 layers of tangentially elongated thin walled cortical cells.

Leaf constants
The parameters evaluated are presented in Table 1.

Preliminary phytochemical screening
Preliminary phytochemical screening mainly divulged the presence of alkaloid, tannins, glycosides, carbohydrates, proteins and flavonoids in ethanol extract (Table 2).

Fluorescence analysis
The result of fluorescence analysis is shown in Table 3

DISCUSSION
Standardization is a crucial estimate of quality, purity and originality. Microscopic technique is unembellished and economical routine to begin with proving the veracious recognition of the starting stuff. As no any Pharmacognostic work is noted on this medicinally formidable plant, the current study was tackled to recline the standards which could be useful for proving its originality. Macro and micro standards are utilitarian recognizing variables estimation of the drug. The particulars secured from the preliminary phytochemical screening will divulge the utilitarian recognizing about chemical nature of the drugs.
Total ash values and extractive values are utilitarian in identification and authentication of the plant material. 16,17 Extractive values are utilitarian to assess the chemical constituents of starting stuff. 18 Preliminary phytochemical screening mainly divulged the presence of alkaloid, tannins, glycosides, carbohydrates, proteins and flavonoids in ethanol extract. T.S. of the young stem committed the existence of thin epidermal layer, fairly wide cortex and thin vascular cylinder having the pith disintegrated or retained as homogeneous parenchymatous tissue. T.S. of the old stem committed the existence of cortical cells, parenchyma cells, sclerenchyma cells, vascular tissue.
In conclusion, the present work was tackled with a perspective to recline standards which could be utilitarian to detect the authenticity of the medicinally utilitarian plant. Pharmacognostic evaluation can be utilitarian to substantiate and authenticate the drug.