Koilpillai BABU, Sabesan Gokul SHANKAR, Sadananda RAI

Comparative pharmacognostic studies on the barks of four Ficus species

The barks of 4 Ficus species, namely F. racemosa, F. virens, F. religiosa and F. benghalensis, are important ingredients in many Ayurvedic and traditional formulations. The barks are considered to be very effective in various treatments, such as diabetes, skin diseases, ulcers, and nervous disorders. During market research, we observed that various species of Ficus barks were sold in Indian market under traditional names, such as Plaksah, Udumbarah, Asvatthah, and Vatah. The barks of the species mention above are usually interchanged or adulterated with other species of Ficus because of the limited knowledge in identification and differentiation. Therefore, a detailed comparative pharmacognostic evaluation of the 4 species has been carried out with the aim to establish the diagnostic keys of these important drugs based on the macroscopic, microscopic, and HPTLC profiles. Detailed diagnostic and distinctive characteristics for the differentiation of the 4 Ficus species are discussed.

Anahtar Kelimeler:

Key words: Ficus racemosa, Ficus virens, Ficus religiosa, Ficus benghalensis, Moraceae, Bark, Pharmacognosy

Comparative pharmacognostic studies on the barks of four Ficus species

Keywords:

Key words: Ficus racemosa, Ficus virens, Ficus religiosa, Ficus benghalensis, Moraceae, Bark, Pharmacognosy,

PDF

___

Aiyer KN & Kolammal M (1957). Pharmacognosy of Ayurvedic Drugs, Trivandrum, India.
Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, (2001). Vol-3, Govt. of India, Ministry of health and family welfare, Dept. of ISM & H, New Delhi.
Brinda P, Saraswathy A & Jayaraman P (2000). Micromorphological identification of the medicinal bark of Ventilago madraspatana. J Med Arom Plant Sci 23: 619-622.
Evans WC (1989). Trease and Evan’s Pharmacognosy (13thEd), Baillière Tindall.
Gayathri M & Kannabiran K (2008). Antidiabetic and ameliorative potential of Ficus bengalensis bark extract in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. Indian J Clinic Biochem 23(4): 394-400.
Harborne JB (1998). Phytochemical Methods, (3rdEd), Chapman and Hall, London.
Husain A, Virmani OP, Popli SP, Misra LN, Gupta MM, Srivastava GN, Abraham Z & Singh AK (1992). Dictionary of Indian Medicinal Plants, CIMAP, Lucknow, India. 546p.
Johansen DA (1940). Plant Microtechnique, McGraw Hill Book Company, New York.
Joshi U & Upadhye M (2008). Evaluation of antioxidant activity of aqueous extract bark of Ficus glomerata. Res J Pharm Tech 1(4): 537-538.
Joy PP, Thomas J, Mathew S & Skaria BP (2001). Medicinal Plants In: Bose TK, Kabir J, Das P & Joy PP (ed.) Tropical Horticulture - Vol. 2. pp. 449-632. Calcutta: Naya Prokash.
Kapoor SL & Mitra R (1979). Herbal drugs in Indian Pharmaceutical industry, Lucknow, India.
Kurup PNV, Ramadas VNK & Joshi P (1979). Handbook of Medicinal Plants, New Delhi.
Mooss NS (1976). Single Drug Remedies, Kottayam, Kerala, India.
Nadkarni AK (1954). Indian Materia Medica, Popular Prakashan Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai.
Sass JE (1940). Elements of Botanical Microtechnique, McGraw-Hill Book Company, INC, New York.
Sharma PV (1983). Dravyaguna vijnana, Varanasi, India.
Sing TB & K.C. Chunekar KC (1972). Glossary of vegetable drugs in Brhttrayu, Varanasi, India.
Sivarajan VV & Balachandran I (1994). Ayurvedic Drugs and Their Sources, Oxford & IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi.
Sofowara A (1993). Medicinal Plants and Traditional Medicine in Africa, Spectrum Books Ltd, Ibadan, Nigeria.
Vaibhav S & Kamlesh D (2007). Pharmacognosy: The Changing Scenario, Pharmacog Rev 1(1): 1-6.
Warrier PK (1994). Indian Medicinal Plants, Vol. 2, Orient Longman Ltd., Kottakkal, Kerala, India.