Ancient Science of Life Vol : XXIII(1) July, August, September 2003

PHYSICOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF CLODENIA PROCUMBENS LINN

*R. Kannan and M. Jegadeesan

Department of Siddha Medicine, Tamil University, Thanjavur

*R & D Centre, The Hiamalaya Drug Company, Bangalore.
Received : 28-12-2002 Accepted: 10-04-2003

ABSTRACT: The aerial parts of Coldenia procumbens Linn. (Boraginaceae) are used in
indigenous systems of medicine. The market sample is in the form of small pieces or nearly
powdered, from which the morphological and anatomical characters are unable to study for the
identification and conformation of its authenticity. The present study of physicochemical
characteristics like physical constant values, behavior with different chemical reagents,
fluorescent behavior and qualitative phytochemical studies were useful to identify the market
sample even in the powdered form.

INTRODUCTION

Coldenia procumbens Linn. (Boraginaceae) is a prostrate herb called as Tripakshi in Sanskrit,

Tripungki in Hindi and Seruppadai or Saruseruppadai in Tamil. It is found commonly in
wastelands, agriculture fields and ponds during summer season as a weed. Fresh leaves, dried
plants and seeds are medicinally useful1&2. Anatomical characters of the family were described
earlier3. The ethonomedical uses of the plant were also reported4&5. Pharmacognostical studies
describing organoleptical, morphological and microscopical characters were observed6.
However, the physicochemical characteristics and phytochemical studies, which used to identify
the plant in its powdered form or in small pieces of market sample were not studied earlier. In
the present study, physical constant values, behavior with different chemical reagents,
fluorescent behavior and phytochemical studies in extracts were studied and compared the results
with the market sample and conformed the authenticity.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Whole plants of Coldenia procumbens were collected from the plants maintained at Herbal
Garden, Tamil University and identified with local Floras7&8. Aerial parts of the plant, includes
stem, leaf, flowers and fruits, were shade dried and powdered. Market samples were brought
from various suppliers in Chennai, Madurai, Thutukudi and Bangalore. Physical constant
values9 flourescent behavior10 and preliminary phytochemical studies11 were done by the
standard procedures. The results from the collected sample and the market samples were
compared and concluded.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS:

Physical constant values like loss on drying, total ash value, acid insoluble ash value, water
insoluble ash value, alcoholic soluble extract and aqueous solvable extracts were tabulated in

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Table-I. Water insoluble ash value is higher than that of acid insoluble extract value. Aqueous
extract value is more than three times higher than that of alcohol soluble extract value. With
different chemical reagents (Table-II) it gives the typical red colour with concentrated nitric acid.
Deep black with ferric chloride and brownish black with iodine solution state the presence of
higher amount of tannins and lower amount of starch respectively. The colours due the reaction
of H2SO4, acetic acid and NaOH are more or less similar. Fluorescent behavior of the plant
powder is tabulated in Table-III. With all reagents except in 1N HCl and in 1N NaOH in alcohol,
it shows clear difference in visible and UV light. In preliminary phytochemical studies (Table-
IV) alkaloids and tannins are higher in alcoholic extract than in water extract. Reducing sugars
and phenols are higher in water extract than in alcoholic extract. Non-reducing sugars and
steroids are equally present in both the extracts. Saponins and fixed oils & fats are present only
in water and alcoholic extracts respectively. Flavonoids, gums and mucilage are completely
absent in both the extracts. It was found that the above characteristics are similar in three market
samples and do not match with another two spurious samples. It also concluded that the
physicochemical characteristics would be helpful in the identification of the market sample of
Coldenia procumbens. Herbarium sheets and raw drug samples were kept with the Museum of
Department of Siddha Medicine, Tamil University, Thanjavur 613 007. India.

REFERENCES:

1. Chopra, R.N., Nayar, S.L. and Chopra, I.C., Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants. CSIR,
New Delhi, (1956).

2. Kiritikar, K.R. and Basu, B.D., Indian Medicinal Plants, V. 1-4. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal
Singh, Dehra Dun, (1980)

3. Metcalfe, C.R. and Chalk. L., Anatomy of the Dicotyledons, Vo.I & II. Clarendron Press,
Oxford, England, (1957).

4. Hamadri, K. and Rao.S., Leucorrhoea and morrhagia: Tribal Medicine, Ancient Science of
Life, 3 (1):40-41, (1983).

5. Kumar, K.A. and Nisterwar, K., An enquiry in to the folklore medicines of Adlateegla An
agency tract at East Godavari Dt.. A. P.,Vagbhata, V. I(6):43-44, (1983).

6. Kannan,R. and Jegadeesan, M., Pharmacognostical studies on Coldenia procumbens L.,

Indian Journal of Applied and pure Biology, V. XIV (2), 148, (1999).

7. Gamble, J.S., Flora of the Presidency of Madras, Vol.1 3. BSI, Calcutta, (1967).

8. Matthew, K.M., The Flora of Tamilnadu Carnatic, Vol.III, Part 1&2. The Rapinat
Herbarium, Tiruchirapalli, (1983).

9. Anonymous, The Indian Pharmacopoeia, 2nd Ed., Government of India Publications, New
Delhi, (1966).

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10. Kokoshi, C.J., Kokoshi, R.J. and Slama, F.J., Flourescence of powdered vegetable drugs
under UV radiation. Journal of American Pharmaceutical Association (Sci. Ed.) Vol. 10,
1958.

11. Peach, K and Tracy, M.V., Modern methods of Plant Analysis, Springer Verlag Heidelberg,
Berlin, (1955).

TABLE I : Physical constant values of aerial parts of Coldenia procumbens L.

Sl. No. Parameters Studies Percentage

1 Loss on drying 73.0 %
2 Total ash value 8.3 %
3 Acid insoluble ash value 3.1 %
4 Water insoluble ash value 4.4 %
5 Alcohol soluble extract 12.58 %
6 Water soluble extract 38.40 %

TABLE II : Behaviour of powdered aerial parts of Coldenia procumbens L.S

Sl. No. Powder + Reagent used Colour obtained

1 Powder as such Greyish green
2 P + Conc. HNO3 Red
3 P + Conc. HCl Black
4 P + Conc. H2SO4 Dark brown
5 P + Acetic acid Brown
6 P + 5 N NaOH Brown
7 P + Iodine solution Brownish black
8 P + Ferric chloride Black
9 P + Picric acid Green

TABLE III : Fluorescence characters Coldenia procumbens L.

Colour obtained
Sl. No. Powder + Reagent used
Visible light UV light
1 Powder as such Greyish green Green

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 2 P + 1N NaOH in water Brown Black
3 P + 1N NaOH in alcohol Black Black
4 P + 1 N HCl Brownish green Dark green
5 P + 50% HNO3 Red Brown
6 P + 50% H2SO4 Brown Dark Gray

TABLE IV: Preliminary phytochemical studies on extracts of Coldenia procumbens L.

Sl. No. Test for Alcoholic extract Water extract

1 Alkaloids ++ +
2 Reducing sugars + ++
3 Non-reducing sugars + +
4 Steroids + +
5 Tannins ++ +
6 Phenols + ++
7 Flavonoids - -
8 Saponins - +
9 Gums & mucilage - -
10 Fixed oil & fats + -