Abstract

AN IN-DEPTH STUDY ON VARIOUS PARTS OF PLEUROLOBUS GANGETICUS (L.) J.ST._ HIL. (DESMODIUM GANGETICUM DC), A COMPONENT OF THE FAMOUS “DASAMOOLA”

Mammen Daniel*, Janvi Patel, Nishtha Patel and Dhwani Pathak

ABSTRACT

The phytochemical and pharmacognostic features on Pleurolobus gangeticus (L.) J.ST._HIL. (Desmodium gangeticum DC), a component of the famous “Dasamoola”, are known scantily because instead of roots, the whole plant is used in previous studies,. Therefore various parts of this plant are studied separately which yielded valuable data. All the plant parts are found to contain flavonoids, phenolic acids and mucilage, in addition to the compounds already reported. The roots are found to yield a resin composed mainly of diisobutyl phthalate, 3α,12α-dihydroxy-5β-chol-8(14)-en-24-oic acid and 8α-Seco-6,8α-deoxy-5-oxoavermectin. The new pharmacognostic features located are two types of trichomes (straight long and small curved) and one type of gland in both leaves and stem, amphivasal vascular bundles and sclerenchymatous ridge in midrib, two layered palisade, a colourless layer of rectangular cells between palisade and spongy tissue, two sets of phloem tissues in stem, and phloem richly interspersed with ray cells containing chloroplasts. Roots are very distinct having resin containing vessel segments. The pharmacological properties of the newly discovered compounds are explained. The importance of using roots in Dasamoola, instead of the entire plants, is emphasised, whereas the utility of whole plant as a medicine on its own, is accepted

Keywords: Pleurolobus gangeticus, Dasamoola, Phytochemistry, Pharmacognosy, Root resin, Diisobutyl phthalate, Flavonoids, Mucilage.