P Subramanian
Drug Standardisation Unit, India
Title: Pharmacognosy & physico – chemical evaluation of homoeopathic drug erigeron canadensis linn
Biography
Biography: P Subramanian
Abstract
Herbal products are composed of many diverse chemical constituents of immense therapeutic value and capable of variation. Standardisation is therefore extremely essential and mandatory for global acceptance. Erigeron canadensis Linn., is an erect annual herb belonging to the family Asteraceae. It is also known in English as ‘Canada Fleabane’. Aerial parts are used in homoeopathy for bruises, cough, dysuria, gonorrhoea, haemorrhages, haemorrhoids, spermatorrhoea and wounds. The leaves are 2.5 – 4 cm long, sessile, linear obovate with rough surface. Stems are 2 to 5 mm thick, ridged with coarse surface and densely hairy. Epidermal cells in surface possess wavy to sinuate sides; stomata are anomocytic, anisocytic and tetracytic; trichomes are uniseriate conical in structure. The midvein in transection is flat on adaxial and ribbed on abaxial. Palisade is 2- layered. A secretory cavity is present beneath the central vascular bundle. Stem in transection is rounded and undulated, covered by uniseriate conical hair. The vascular tissue is made of several V. bundles in a ring capped by sclerenchyma sheath. Centrally pith is present with a disintegrated lumen. Mature stem shows outermost epidermis replaced by cork. Secondary xylem is well developed and phloem is reduced. A vascular cambium is present. Pollen grain is a monad, prolate spheroided or sub prolate with spinescent surface. The powder microscopic and organoleptic characters are presented. Physico – chemical parameters of raw drugs viz., extractive values, ash values, formulation besides wt.per ml., total solids, alcohol content along with HPTLC fingerprinting and UV studies were undertaken of the mother tincture for the first time.
