Pharmacognostical studies on seeds of Cassia roxburghii DC

Abstract

Cassia roxburghii DC (family Leguminosae-Caesalpinioideae) is native to Sri Lanka and Southern India. It is a fairly large "shower" tree with featherlike pinnately compound leaves and twigs covered with a dense carpet of fine, soft hairs. The fruit is a typical legume; it is cylindrical and indehiscent (does not split open by itself), 8-12 inch long, less than 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter and bears many seeds separated by papery partitions. The ash values, macroscopic, microscopic and analytical parameters such as acid insoluble ash, water insoluble ash, sulphated ash, total ash and loss on drying were determined for the plant material. T.S. of seed coat of Cassia roxburghii revealed distinct six zones (viz., outer cuticle columnar epidermal layer, outer osteosclerid layer, middle seed coat, inner and osteosclerid layer and endosperm) which could be used as diagnostic character in the analysis of seed powder. In sectional view, the cotyledons show distinct cell zonations. The outermost part consists of an epidermal layer of tabular thin walled cells. The outer zone of the cotyledon has four layers of palisade like cells; the cells are narrow and compact. The innermost layer is short and next layer is high. In between the outer palisade and inner palisade zone is a wide middle zone of much lobed, amoeboid cells with intercellular spaces. The pharmacognostical studies and the findings therein will enable the identification of the plant to the future investigators. This will provide a basis for the pharmacognostical standardization of the plant drug.Cassia roxburghii DC (family Leguminosae-Caesalpinioideae) is native to Sri Lanka and Southern India. It is a fairly large "shower" tree with featherlike pinnately compound leaves and twigs covered with a dense carpet of fine, soft hairs. The fruit is a typical legume; it is cylindrical and indehiscent (does not split open by itself), 8-12 inch long, less than 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter and bears many seeds separated by papery partitions. The ash values, macroscopic, microscopic and analytical parameters such as acid insoluble ash, water insoluble ash, sulphated ash, total ash and loss on drying were determined for the plant material. T.S. of seed coat of Cassia roxburghii revealed distinct six zones (viz., outer cuticle columnar epidermal
layer, outer osteosclerid layer, middle seed coat, inner and osteosclerid layer and endosperm) which could be used as diagnostic character in the analysis of seed powder. In sectional view, the cotyledons show distinct cell zonations. The outermost part consists of an epidermal layer of tabular thin walled cells. The outer zone of the cotyledon has four layers of palisade like cells; the cells are narrow and compact. The innermost layer is short and next layer is high. In between the outer palisade and inner palisade zone is a wide middle zone of much lobed, amoeboid cells with intercellular spaces. The pharmacognostical studies and the findings therein will enable the identification of the plant to the future investigators. This will provide a basis for the pharmacognostical standardization of the plant drug.