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BOTANICAL STUDIES OF PLANTS SOLD IN MARKET AS SAFED MUSLI S.K.Panda 1*, D.Das 2, N.K.Tripathy3 The Pharmaceutical College, Samaleswari Vihar, Tingipali, Barpali - 768 029 2 School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, SOA University , Bhubaneswar -751 030 3 Department of Zoology, Berhampur University, Berhampur - 760 007 Email : skpanda2006@rediffmail.com
1

S.K. Panda

ABSTRACT Six crude drug samples claimed as Safed Musli were collected from different sources and studied for their botanical characters for proper identification. The botanical studies dealt with exomorphology of plant, morphological & microscopical root tuber characters and reported. Based on these observations, it is suggested that there is a need for the authentication of sample of the crude drug purchased from market at any form or stage under the trade name Safed Musli before their utilization.

Key Words: Safed musli, Liliaceae, Chlorophytum, Asparagus, Ethnomedicine, Modern medicine.

INTRODUCTION For study of any known or unknown plants, proper botanical identification is playing a vital role. The knowledge regarding identification parameters of a plant is required for collection of the true plant from available sources. The biological activities are varying from plant to plant i.e. different species of same origin genus and family. In traditional system of medicine, plants were documented with their synonyms, which explain various aspects of the

plants like external morphology, pharmaceutical property, action, uses, country of origin etc. without botanical system to describe a plant. This possesses greater difficulties in botanical identification of the classical plants. Similarly, controversy also arises on a drug, when the origin of particular drug assigned to more then one plant. Various plants belonging to genera Chlorophytum and Asparagus used by both in medical and commercial parlance by the

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common name of Safed musli because of their white tuberous roots with some sort of aphrodiasic properties. The plants like Chlorophytum borivilianum, Chlorophytum tuberosum, Chlorophytum arundinaceum, Chlorophytum laxum, Asparagus rasemosus and Asparagus adscendens, so far documented can be regarded as Safed Musli vis--vis alternative for each other, as per availability throughout the country, rather than choice, has become the factor for their use as such. Obviously a difference will lie in their efficacy depending upon the percentage of active principle/ principles and therapeutics employed. Being, controversy in the name and higher price, there is a lot of scope for adulteration and substitution. After analyzing the chemical and modern description in detail, the recent author concluded that Chlorophytum borivilianum is the correct botanical source of Safed musli and reported with justification. Here, an attempt has been made further to identify and differentiated Chlorophytum borivilianum from other available crude drug in trade as Safed musli. Objective - The work dealt with studies of botanical parameters (Exomorphology, morphology and microscopical) to identify true Safed musli and prevent adulteration & substitution of this precious drug. MATERIALS AND METHODS Authenticated planting materials of Chlorophytum borivilianum root tubers were collected from NRC for M & AP, Anand, Gujrat bearing DS no. 413 dated 5th July 2004. The planting materials were used for cultivation by following the standard method and harvested in time to get better yield and more Percentage of active principles. Few entire plant specimens with all characteristic features have been preserved for the botanical studies. Few entire plant specimens with all characteristic features

and bulk root tubers were collected from M/S Spak Agro, Cuttack, an authenticated commercial cultivators of drug, who has procured planting materials from M/S Nandan Agro Farms (p) Ltd, Hydrabad-82. Three species of Chlorophytum Ker-Gawl and two species of Asparagus Linn. entire plant specimens with all characteristic features were collected from dense forest of Phulbani by the help of few local kondha tribals having knowledge and practice of herbal remedies for various ailments. All the above collected plant materials were identified as Chlorophytum borivilianum (Cultivated ,D.S. No. - 413), C. borivilianum (Commercial, Spak Agro), C. laxum, C. arundinasium, C. tuberosum, A. racemosus and A. adscendens by scientist of IMMT ( formerly R.R.L.,BBSR) and Dept. of Botany, Revenshaw college, Cuttack with the help of authentic herbarium species. The voucher specimens were preserved in our department for future references. Entire plant samples of each specimen with all characteristic features and few unpeeled and peeled root tubers of them were marked and store in formalin aceto-alcohol solutions. Remaining samples of each specimen were separately marked and free from aerial parts & wiry rootlets, then washed separately under running water to clean adhering dirt materials and then peeled and dried under shade. Further few dried samples of each specimen were kept intact and remaining were coarsely powdered in to 40 meshes by means of a mechanical grinder & stored separately in air tight container with proper label. Evaluation of Exo-morphological plant characters All collected entire plant specimen of seven samples were studied for their exomorphological characters like root tuber nos, length & diameter, shape, length & width of leaf

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blade with other leaf characters, stem, flower, fruit & seed and expressed in table 1 & fig. 1-3. Evaluation of morphological root tuber characters Only fresh root tuber of collected seven samples were taken and studied for their all morphological/Organoleptic characters like form, condition, shape, size, colour, texture, fracture, odour, taste and other features observed in outer surface and expressed in table 2 & fig. 4-10. Evaluation of microscopical root tuber characters Further, microscopical characters of root tuber and powdered samples of all collected seven specimens were studied for their histological characters and recorded in table -3 & 4 respectively and represented in fig. 11-14. All above stated studies were carried out by taking preserved samples of each specimen as required for individual study. They were studied under dissecting and compound microscope for entire plant and root microscopical characters of each specimen respectively as per protocol. Authentic herbarium specimens and literatures were consulted as standard references for comparative studies and key identification characters of individual specimens were recorded. Only required figures were given for more clarity in the subjected studies and to identify the true drug Chlorophytum borivilianum from others. OBSERVATION AND DISCUSSIONS Major taxonomical characters of four species of Chlorophytum with five no of samples and two species of Asparagus with two samples were examined and major findings were analyzed here on gross with major key identification characters of each sample. Exomorphological plant and root tuber characters were evaluated and recorded in Table-1 & 2 with Fig- 1 to 10.

Key identification characters of genus Chlorophytum 1. Root stock short or a bulb. 2. Flowers recemed, ovarian cells 4-6 ovuled. 3. Perianth segments distinct. 4. Fruits a normally opening capsule and 3 winged. 5. Filaments are free and superior ovary 6. Common Characters of Chlorophytum Species All species of Chlorophytum were perennial herbs and regenerated each year from condensed rhizomes. Root and root tubers were bundle of more or less thickened adventitious fleshy fibres,either cylindrical or tapering gradually to the end or thickened some distance from the base of the plant into tubers. But in C. borivilianum directly from the base of the plant. These were brown or reddish brown outside in colour and 5 to 30 cm in length with 0.3 2.5cm in diameters, covered with few minute scales with rosette of leaves from the crown. Leaves were linear, chartaceous with close distinct vertical ribs without transverse venules or membranous, oblong or lanceolate, lamina narrowed into clasping petioles and arranged alternately. But in C. laxum it is subdistichous. Scapes were caulescent, naked or with one or more sheaths, simple & rarely branched. In general, they were shorter than leaves except few cases where it large sometimes upto 90cm long. Bracts were linear or lanceolate, cymbiform or amplexicaul, coloured, small and scarious or large and membranous, persistent. Inflorescences were simple recemes and in some cases compound, much elongated. Flowers were generally small, in very close cluster or in distant cluster of 2 or 3, articulated, at or above the middle.

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Perianth are whitish and sometimes greenish, funnel shaped or rotate, 6 segments in 2 whorls inner segments broader and blunt, imbricate aestivation, marcescent rarely persistent, dorsal nerves of the segments vary from 3 7. Androceum contained 6 stamens, free or the inner 3 adnate to the base or the perianth, filament and anthers vary greatly, usually filaments subulate and stamens included or papillose, anther linear rarely oblong. Gynoceium contained 3 carpels, placentation axile, ovary 3-lobed, more or less globose, sessile or subsessile, trilocular, style simple, terminal, long, filiform, stigma simple and rarely capitate. Capsule was acutely triquetrous,coriaceous, truncate or emerginate, dehiscence loculicidal. Seeds were small and vary in number from 2 16 with copious endosperm, testa thin and colour brown or black. Key identification characters of individual Chlorophytum species a. Key Identification characters of plant C. arundinaceum:1. Leaves up to 20cm long and 2.5 6cm wide, perianth unite and 7.5 15mm long. 2. Raceme continous, often subpyramidal with short branches at base. 3. Tepals oblong-lanceolate mostly acute. 4. Bracts more then 8mm long and over topping the buds. b. Key Identification characters of plant C. tuberosum:1. Leaves 2.5 6cm wide, perianth unite and 7.5 -15mm long, ensiform, not more than one sheath. 2. Racemes interrupted. 3. Tepals elliptic rounded. 4. Bracts mostly shorter than the buds 5. Scape usually longer than the leaves. The main distinguished characters of plant C. tuberosum was anther, which was longer than

the filament, absence of skeptal nectaries and large conspicuous flowers with 5 -7 nerved perianth segments. c. Key Identification characters of C. laxum:1. Leaves are linear less then 1-2cm wide. 2. Perianth greenish-white under 6.2mm long. 3. Scape filiform and flexuous. d. The key identification characters of plant C. borivilianum (Fig-1) The root tubers of C. borivilianum arised direct from the base and distinguished it from other species of Chlorophytum genus. The shape of tubers were cylindrical and slightly tapering towards lower side look like pestle. The leaf lanceolate or linear and less than 30cm long. Key Identifying Charactes Of Genus Asparagus:1. Stem erect or climbing. 2. Leaves replaced by usually linear or acicular, cladodes. 3. Flowers small, solitary, fascicled or recemed. Common characters of Asparagus species Asparagus Linn. root stock stout and creeping. Stem erect straggling or climbing, terete grooved or angled. Leaves minute scales, often spinescent, bearing in their axils tufts of needle like or flattened branchlets (Cladodes). Flowers small or minutes, axillary, rarely unisexual, solitary, fascicled or racemed, pendulous, pedicel jointed. Perainth campanulate, 6-partite. Stamen on the bases of the segments. Anther oblong Ovary 3-gonous, style-1, Stigmas 3, Cells2 or more ovuled. Berry globose, seeds 2-6, testa, black, brittle, embryo dorsal.

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Key Identification Characters Of Individual Asparagus Species a. Key Identifying characters of plant Asparagus recemosus:- (Fig - 2) 1. Stem scandent, woody 2. Cladodes 2-6mate b. Key Identifying characters of plant Asparagus adscendens:- (Fig - 3) 1. Stems erect, much branched 2. Numerous cluster or subulate cladodes about 1.25cm long. Microscopical character of fresh and powdered root tubers The microscopical studies of all seven specimens showed few common characters like presence of unicellular root tubers, undifferentiated cortex, radial arrangement of vascular bundles and xylem is exarch in nature, which confirm all are roots. Further, all showed the presence of more than six numbers of radial vascular bundles (polyarch condition) and pith large & distinct, which confirm all were monocot roots. The pattern of distribution of internal characters like Epidermis, Cortex, Endodermis, Pericycle, Pith, Xylem & Phloem were only signifying characters to distinguished the individual specimens in laboratory. (Table - 3) The powder microscopic characters like Vessels, Fibers, Parenchyma, Cork cells, Starch and Calcium oxalate crystals were also playing a vital role for identifying the individual drug in laboratory. (Table - 4) CONCLUSION In ancient time no botanical system was in place to describe a plant, but Ayurvedic Materia Medica had its own full proof method of describing a plant. Various plants belonging to the genera Chlorophytum and Asparagus has been used as Safed Musli in different parts of our country depending upon their availability with some sort of aphrodisiac properties. All

collected specimens were studied botanically on the basis of quantitative & qualitative characters of the vegetative organs morphologically and microscopically to prevent adulteration and Substitution. The knowledge regarding identification parameters of a plant is helpful for collection of the true plant from available sources either as raw or in finished form. A taxonomical approach was taken here to provide required information to be followed to ensure the authenticity, sustainability and continuous availability of a precious drug Safed Musli. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The authors are grateful to Dr. S. Maiti, Director, NRC for A & P and Dr. R.V. Singh, Head Germplasm of Exchange Division, NBPGR, New Delhi for supplying of authentic sample. They are also thankful to Dr. A.K. Dalai., Revenshaw College and Dr. Brahmam & Dr. Sexena for IMMT (RRL), Bhubaneswar for authentication of plant. Mr. Anuj Kumar Agrahari and Mr. B.K. Mishra, The Pharmaceutical College, Barpali has helped us in preparation of the manuscript. REFERENCES 1. The Wealth of India :A Dictionary of Indian Raw materials, Publications & Information Directorate, CSIR, New Delhi, Volume 3 (Ca-Ci), Revised Ser 1992, 482-483. 2. Satija J and Singh GK: Safed musli: The goldern root, Indian J. Pharm Edu. Res, 39, 2005, 182-183. 3. Oudhia P: My experience with wonder crop Safed Musli, In Souvenir of international seminar on Medicinal Plants and Quality Standardization, VHERDS, Chennai, India, 2001 4. Mayank T and Dixit VK: A review on some important medicinal plants of Chlorophytum

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Species, Pharmacogn. 2008,168-172.

Review,

2(3),

5. Kirtikar KR and Basu BD Liliaceae, Chlorophytum : KR Kirtikar and BD Basu (Edns), Indian medicinal Plant, B Singh and MP Simgh, Deheradhun, India, 1975: 25082509. 6. Shah GI: Chlorophytum, Ker Flora of Gujurat, Part II, 1978:610. 7. Nandakarni AK, KM Nandakarni: Indian Materia Medica, Popular book Deport, Lamington Road, Bombay, Edition 3, 1, 1927:208 209. 8. Chopra RN, Nayar SL and Chopra IC: Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants, CSIR, New Delhi, 1956;218. 9. Oudhia P., 2000, Can we save the endangered medicinal plant Safed Musli ( Chlorophytum borivilianum) in India forest. An article written for an American site www.herb.com, July Aug, 2000. FIGURES & TABLES

10. .Mishraand JR, Jena PK: Practical Botany, Modern Publishers. New Delhi-2, Edition 2,2006:137. 11. Panda SK. and Das D :A Controversial Plant Safed Musli, Drug Invention Today 2(3), 2010: 215-216. 12. Panda SK. and Das D, Preliminary phytochemical studies on root tuber extract of Chlorophytum borivilianum Santapau & fernandes. 13. Saxena HO, Brahmam M: The flora of Orissa, RRL, CISR, BBSR, 1995: 1956-57 1960-1962. 14. Nayar MP. and Sastry AR: Chlorophytum borivilianum, MP. Nayar and AR. Sastry Eds, Red Data Book of Indian Plants 2, 1988: 375-378.

Fig.1: Entire plant Chlorophytum borivilianum

Fig. 2: Entire Plant of Asparagus adscendens (Aa)

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Fig. 3: Entire Plant of Asparagus racemosus (Ar)

Fig. 4 : Root tubers of C. borivilianum (Cb1, DS No.413)Cultivated

Fig. 5 : Root tubers of C. borivilianum(Cb2

Fig. 6 : Root tubers of C.arundinasium(Ca)

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Fig. 7 : Root tubers of C. tuberosum(Ct)

Fig. 8 : Root tubers of C. laxum ( Cl)

Fig. 9 : Root tubers of Asparagus

Fig. 10: Root tubers of Asparagus racemosus

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CORTEX CUTICLE EPIBLEMA

HYPODERMIS (EXODERMIS)

ROOT

Fig. 11 :T.S. of C. borivilianum root tuber (Cortex region)( Cb1)

ENDODERM PERICYC CONJUCTIVE PROTOXYL

PHLOE METAXYLE PIT

Fig. 12 :T.S. of C. borivilianum root tuber (Stele region) (Cb1)

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Fig. 13: T.S of A. adscendens(Aa)

Fig. 14: T.S of A. racemosus(Ar)

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Table.1: Exo morphological Plant Characters of fresh entire plant Samples Collected as Safed Musli SI No. 1. (i) i (ii) Parameters Cb1 Cb2 8-10 Ca 15-20 Ct 20-24 Cl 12-15 Aa 30-40 Ar 50-60

Root tubers 10-15 Number per plant Stalk Sessile

I(iii)

I(iv)

2 2 (i) I(ii) I

Stalk not prominent. Up to 10-20 cm in 10-18 cm in Length of 6-18 cm 5-15 cm 4-10 cm in 4-6 cm in 5-7cm length & 8-12 tuber in length in length length & 3-5 length & length 10-18 mm in mm in & 5-8 mm & mm in 8-15mm 4-6mm in diameter in & diameter diameter in diameter diameter diameter Shape Tortuous Tortuous Cylindrical & Nodulose Nodulose Fusiform tappering at roots roots long both ends ,ellipsoid ellipsoidal al tubers tubers tapering ends Leaf 30.06.0 25.08.0 40.05.0cm 603.0c 552.0 cm 8-183.0 cm cm m Length of leaf cm Width of blade 1.251.75cm Radical Spirally imbricate at the base, Characters Sessile, linear or 1.0 1.5 cm Radical Oblong imbricate at the base sessile, linear or 1.5 2.5 cm 2.0 2.5 cm Radical, Radical linear Broadly oblong, flat linar or or usually Cananiculat ensiform e Margin Coriaceous usually 2.0 2.5 cm Radical Leaves grass like linear Acuminate, slightly keeled, Minute Cladodes long linear, spines & Stout straight & densely crowded

Sessile

Sessile

Prominen Prominent t root root stalk stalk

Root stalk up to 10-20cm are not prominent 12-20 cm in length &10-14 mm in diameter Fusiform

5-13 2.0 cm

Minute Scaly,triangul ar stift acuminate, reduced to suberect or subcurved

(iii)

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ovate, acute apex, slightly narrowed at the base

ovate, acute apex, slightly narrowed at the base

(iv)

No of leaves Stem

6-14

5-12

Prominently nerved, base sheathing or narrowed into petiole, apex gradually tapering above 6-18

cripseed rather thin acuminat and shining e base sheathin g

spines.

5-10

7-10

Numerous

Numerous

Reduced Reduced Reduced Reduced Reduced Woody terete with root with root with root with root with root stems. Tall, stock stock stock stock stock stout,suberec t, Cladodes in dense tufts of 6-20 nate

Flower

Fruit

White, arranged in alternate clusters bracts liner papery and purplish Capsule greenish

White, arranged in alternate clusters bracts liner papery and purplish Capsule greenish

Stems triquetrous with straight or recurved spines, Scandent woody, Cladodes in curved tufts of 2-6 nate. White Greenish White, small White, sweet White, white solitary or scented starlike 1-8 mostly shorter arranged in fascicled. bracts than the different lanceolate pairs, bract acuminate buds, very small, slender sublate membranou s Capsule depressed Capsule, oboviod Capsule Berries are Beries are subrotund to scarlet,trilobe red, globose

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yellow yellow globose emargina oblong d trilobed triquetrou triquetrou te. s s 1-6 Black 4- Black 2-6 Black, 6-10 Black, 4-8 Endosper 3-7 seed Black 10 seeds per capsule seeds, seeds, shining mic onion / capsule, per Black,orbi capsules. per irregularly shining like cular. Suborbicular capsule. angled. black Seed ,black, 6 coloured, minutely angular, tessellate or each punctuate. capsule bearing 14-16 seeds. Cb1 C. borivilianum Sant. & F (Cultivated)., Cb2 C. borivilianum Sant. & F (Commercial). Ca- C. arundinaceum Baker , Ct- C. tuberosum Baker, Cl- C. laxum R.Br. Aa- A. adscendens Roxb., Ar- A. racemosus Willd.

Table.2 : Morphological characters of fresh entire tuberous root samples collected as Safed Musli SI Parameters No Form 1 Condition 2 3 Cb1 Root Peeled & dried Cylindric, long & slender Cb2 Root Peeled dried Cylindric, long slender Ca Root & Peeled dried Cylindric, & slender short Ct Cl Aa Ar

Root Root & Peeled & dried Peeled & dried Shape Fibrous, long Fibrous long & and ending ending with with ellipsoidal long ellipsoidtubers -al withTaper-ing ends. Size(Length 4-8 cm in 3-7 cm in 2-4 cm in 2-3 cm in 3-4 cm in & diameter length 4-8 length 2-5 length 3-6 length 6-7 mm length 8-10
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Root Root Peeled & Peeled dried dried Fusiform Fusiform

&

6-10 cm in 8-12 cm in length 5-7 length 6-8

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of tubers) 5 6 Colour Texture

mm in diameter Pure White Soft

mm in mm in diameter diameter White to buff White to dull white white Soft Slightly hard

mm in diameter Wheatish in Dull white in colour colour Hard as Hard as compared to compared to C.borivilianum C.borivilianum

in diameter

Fracture

Smooth

Smooth

Smooth

Smooth rarely Smooth rarely splintery splintery

8 9

Odour Taste

Character istic Mucilagin ous sticky, salty

Characteristi c Mucilaginous and sticky

Characteristi Characteristic Characteristic c Less Sticky, less Sticky, less Mucilaginous Mucilaginous Mucilaginous

Smooth, Smooth and Smooth and Smooth and Smooth and longitudin longitudinal longitudinal longitudinal longitudinal al ridges ridges are ridges are ridges are ridges are (irregular) present. present. present. present are devel-oped during drying Cb1 C. borivilianum Sant. & F (Cultivated)., Cb2 C. borivilianum Sant. & F (Commercial). Ca- C. arundinaceum Baker , Ct- C. tuberosum Baker, Cl- C. laxum R.Br. Aa- A. adscendens Roxb., Ar- A. racemosus Willd.
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Outer surface

mm in mm in diameter diameter Dull white wheatish in colour Harder as More harder compared as compared toChloroptoChloroph-hytum ytum species species Uneven Uneven fracture, fracture, broken broken pieces pieces shows shows hollow hollow cavity cavity Characteris Characteristi tic c Bland taste Bland taste which which becomes becomes bitter after bitter after sometimes. sometimes. Deep, Deep, irregular irregular longitudinal longitudinal furrow furrow and andminute minute transverse transverse wrinkles wrinkles

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Table.3 : Microscopical characters of fresh entire tuberous root samples collected as Safed Musli SI No 1 Character Epidermis Cb1 Epidermis with out cuticle & stomata, many unicellular root hairs Round parenchym atous cells with intercellula r spaces. Starch is absent Barrel shaped closely arranged parenchym atous cell lies below the cortex & forms a ring Cb2 Epidermis with out cuticle & stomata, many unicellular root hairs Ca Epidermis with out cuticle & stomata, many unicellular root hairs Ct Epidermis with out cuticle & stomata, many unicellular root hairs Cl Aa Epidermis with out cuticle & stomata many unicellular root hairs Round parenchymato us cells with intercellular spaces. Starch is absent Lies below the cortex and forms a ring, barrel shaped, Parenchymat ous cells without intercellular spaces. Ar Epidermis with out cuticle & stomata many unicellular root hairs Oval, Parenchyma tous cells with intercellular space, Starch are also present. Lies below the cortex and forms a ring, barrel shaped, Parenchyma tous cells without intercellular spaces.

Cortex

Epidermis with out cuticle & stomata, many unicellular root hairs Round Round Round Round parenchymato parenchymatous parenchymato parenchymato us cells with cells with us cells with us cells with intercellular intercellular intercellular intercellular spaces. spaces. Starch is spaces. spaces. Starch is absent Abundant of Starch is absent starch absent Barrel shaped closely arranged parenchymato us cell lies below the cortex & forms a ring Barrel shaped closely arranged parenchymatous cell lies below the cortex & forms a ring Barrel shaped closely arranged parenchymato us cell lies below the cortex & forms a ring Barrel shaped closely arranged parenchymato us cell lies below the cortex & forms a ring

Endodermi s

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Pericycle

Pith

Xylem

Phloem

Single layered cells below the endodermi s. Uniseriate & composed of thin walled parenchym atous cells. Rounded parenchym atous cells, large & well developed Numerous, composed of a single layered round metaxylem towards the pith, protoxylem towards the periphery Composed of companion

Single layered cells below the endodermis. Uniseriate & composed of thin walled parenchymato us cells.

Single layered cells below the endodermis. Uniseriate & composed of thin walled parenchymatous cells.

Single layered cells below the endodermis. Uniseriate & composed of thin walled parenchymato us cells.

Single layered cells below the endodermis. Uniseriate & composed of thin walled parenchymato us cells.

Single layered cells below the endodermis. Uniseriate & composed of thin walled parenchymato us cells.

Single layered cells below the endodermis. Uniseriate & composed of thin walled parenchymat ous cells.

Rounded parenchymato us cells

large & developed

well Rounded parenchymato us cells

Composed of a single layered round, metaxylem towards the pith, protoxyleme is present towards the periphery

Composed of a single layered round, metaxylem towards the pith, protoxyleme is present towards the periphery towards the periphery Composed of Composed of Composed of companion companion cells companion cells and and phloem cells and

Composed of a single layered round, metaxylem towards the pith, protoxyleme is present towards the periphery

large & well Compactly developed arranged thin wall without any intercellular space. Composed of Composed of a single a single layered round, layered round, metaxylem metaxylem towards the towards the pith, pith, protoxyleme protoxyleme is present is present towards the towards the periphery periphery towards the periphery Composed of Composed of companion companion cells and cells and

Compactly arranged thin wall without any intercellular space. Composed of a single layered round, metaxylem towards the pith, protoxyleme is present towards the periphery Composed of companion

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cells and phloem phloem parenchyma parenchym a

parenchyma

phloem parenchyma

phloem parenchyma

phloem parenchyma. It lies alternate to xylem.

cells and phloem parenchyma, it lies alternate to xylem

Cb1 C. borivilianum Sant. & F (Cultivated)., Cb2 C. borivilianum Sant. & F (Commercial). Ca- C. arundinaceum Baker , Ct- C. tuberosum Baker, Cl- C. laxum R.Br. Aa- A. adscendens Roxb., Ar- A. racemosus Willd. Table.4 : Microscopical Powdered characteristic of root tuber samples collected as Safed Musli

Sr. No 1 2

Character Colour Taste

Cb1 Pure White

Cb2

Ca White to dull white Less Mucila-genous

Ct Wheatish in colour Sticky,less Mucilagenou s

Cl Dull white in colour Sticky, less Mucilagenou s

Aa

Ar

White to Buff White Mucilagenou, Mucilagenou Sticky in s & Sticky. mouth, Salty

Vessels

Dull white in colour Bland taste which becomes bitter after sometimes Annular, few Annular, few Scalariform, Well Scalariform, Pitted, few were attached were few were developed few were were attached with attached attached with attached with others. others.Size: with with recticulate with Size: 40 40 70mm others.Size: others.Size: arrangement. others.Size: 50mm 30 60mm 40 50mm size :60 70 40 55mm mm

Fibers

Wheatish in colour Bland taste which becomes bitter after sometimes Pattern of design is runway, either singly or in groups. Size 18 39mm Occur length Occur length Occur length Simple occur Simple occur Simple, the tips Simple, the wise singly wise singly wise singly length wise length of few fibres tips of few simple fibres. simple simple Size : 5 wiseSize : 5 are fibres are
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Publication Ref No.: IJPRD/2011/PUB/ARTI/VOV-3/ISSUE-1/MARCH/001

ISSN 0974 9446

: pointed. Size : 2 18mm Rare, Rare, Mostly round, Mostly Starch Simple, Simple, both simple or round, both Sperical. Sperical. compound. simple or Size 3-6mm Size 3-6mm Size : 6 compound. Size : 2 12mm 6mm Parenchym Rectangular, Rectangular Polygonal Rectangular Rectangular Elongated, Elongated,p a pitted, pitted, pitted, non pitted, non pitted, pitted and fitted and lignified. lignified. lignified. lignified. lignified. lignified. lignified. Size :4 6mm Size:4 6mm Size:3 7mm Size:4 7mm Size:3 6mm Size:6 12mm Size:8 14mm Cork cells Oval or Oval or Polygonal or Thin walled, Thin walled, Stratifird Cork cells flattened flattened flattened polygonal in flattened shows rectangular. rectangular. rectangular. Surface outer striations. Size: 2 8mm Size:2 8mm Size:2 6mm view. Surface Size : 2 6 mm Cb1 C. borivilianum Sant. & F (Cultivated)., Cb2 C. borivilianum Sant. & F (Commercial). Ca- C. arundinaceum Baker , Ct- C. tuberosum Baker, Cl- C. laxum R.Br. Aa- A. adscendens Roxb., Ar- A. racemosus Willd.

Size : 35 fibres. fibres. 50mm Size : 35 Size : 35 50mm 50mm Absent Absent Very rare indistinct helium compound. Size 4-18cm

20mm

20mm

pointed.Size 3 16mm

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