phytochemical pharmacognostical and physicochemical standardization of peperomia pellucida (l.) hbk

8/12/2019 Phytochemical Pharmacognostical and Physicochemical Standardization of Peperomia Pellucida (l.) Hbk.

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Majumder P / Pharmacie Globale (IJCP) 2011, 8 (06)

1 Pharmacie Globale (IJCP), Vol. 02, Issue 08

Available online at www.pharmacie-globale.info

PHARMACIE GLOBALE

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF COMPREHENSIVE PHARMACY

PHYTOCHEMICAL, PHARMACOGNOSTICAL AND PHYSICOCHEMICAL STANDARDIZATIONOF Peperomia pellucida (L.) HBK . STEM

Pulak Majumder

Department of Pharmacognosy, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Pharmacy, Trikaripur, Kasaragod, Kerala, India.

Received: 12 June 2011; Revised: 22 July 2011; Accepted: 29 July 2011; Available online: 7 August 2011

INTRODUCTION

The knowledge about the use of medicinal plants has beenaccrued through centuries and such plants are still valuedeven today, although synthetics, antibiotics etc haveattained greater prominence in modern medicine. Theindigenous systems of medicine practices in India arebased mainly on the use of plants. 1 Herbal drugs play animportant role in health care programs especially indeveloping countries. Ancient Indian literatureincorporates a remarkably broad definition of medicinalplants and considers all plant parts to be potentialsources of medicinal substances. 2 Unfortunately the use ofmedicinal plants in these countries is based primarily onempirical knowledge, and many of the plants have not

been scientifically evaluated for their safety and efficacy. 3 There is a need for documentation of research workcarried out on traditional medicines. 4 With this backdrop,it becomes extremely important to make an effort towardsstandardization of the plant material to be used asmedicine. The process of standardization can be achievedby stepwise pharmacognostic and phytochemical studies. 5 These studies help in identification and authentication ofthe plant material. Correct Identification and qualityassurance of the starting materials is an essentialprerequisite to ensure reproducible quality of herbalmedicine which will contribute to its safety and efficacy.Simple pharmacognostic techniques used instandardization of plant material include its*Corresponding Author: Pulak MajumderLecturer, Department of Pharmacognosy,Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Pharmacy, Trikaripur, Kasaragod, Kerala, India.Contact no: +91-7736404410; Email: [email protected]

morphological, anatomical and biochemicalcharacteristics. 6

The genus Peperomia pellucida is a member of the familyPiperaceae . Peperomia pellucida is a common fleshytropical annual, shallow-rooted herb, usually growing to aheight of about 15 to 45 cm. It is characterized by fibrousroots , succulent stems, shiny, heart-shaped, fleshy leavesand tiny, dot-like seeds attached to several fruiting spikes.It has a mustard-like odor when crushed (Figure 1 ).Figure 1. Plant of Peperomia pellucida

The plant has a thread like but angular trailing stem.Those growing in rich habitats have fleshy and stoutstems. They are translucent pale green, erect or ascending,usually 15-45 cm long, internodes usually 3-8 cm long andglabrous. Leaves are alternate, blunt, heart shaped and astransparent and smooth as candle wax grows as a long

shrubby looking creeping cover or as an epiphyte. Theyare medium green on upper surface, lower surface whitishgreen, thinly fleshy, drying papery, broadly ovate, 1.5- 4 (-5) cm long, 1-3.3 cm wide, palmately 3-nerved or 5-nerved, glabrous, apex acuminate, base subcordate totruncate, petioles 0.5-2 (-3) cm long, glabrous. The

ABSTRACTPeperomia pellucida is an America and Asia originated small herb belonging to the Family Piperaceae. The stemsof Peperomia pellucida are reported to have good medicinal values in traditional system of medicine. The stems ofPeperomia pellucida were collected locally, shade dried and extracted with methanol and water by using Soxhletapparatus. The yield of methanolic and water extracts of stem were 7.25% and 15.05% respectively. Thepreliminary phytochemical screening was carried out for the presence of Carbohydrates, Alkaloids, Tannins,Flavonoids, Steroids, Triterpenoids etc and absence of saponins and proteins for methanolic extracts ofPeperomia pellucida (stems). The physical evaluation was carried out for the determination of methanol-solubleextractive value, water-soluble extractive values; ash value includes total ash, acid insoluble ash and water-soluble ash, foaming index, swelling index, fibres measurement and moisture content for stems of Peperomia pellucida . The present study also highlights the Pharmacognostical studies on the stems of the plant Peperomia pellucida . These observations will help in the Pharmacognostical identification and standardization of the drug inthe crude form and also to distinguish the drug from its adulteration.

Keywords: Peperomia pellucida, Microscopy, Phytochemical screening, Physical evaluation.

Research Article

ISSN 0976-8157


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elongated stems look like a vine with leaves rising 6 to 9cm above the surface. Both leaves and stems have shinywaxy surfaces. The foliage of the plant looks ornamental. Flowers are very small, well-spaced, unnoticeable and bi-sexual growing in the form of cord-like spikes arising fromthe leaf axils , 1 to several, terminal and axillary or leaf-opposed.

Medicinally in the South America, solution of the freshjuice of stem and leaves is used against eye inflammation. 7

Infusion and decoction of leaves and stems are used forgout and arthritis. It is described in Ayurveda as: Rasa Katu and Madhur; Guna- Lakhu, rooksha, Teekshna; andVirya- Ushna. The plant is described to passify vitiatedcough, pitta, constipation, kidney diseases, urinaryretention, dysuria, urinary tract infections, emaciation,edema and general weakness. Infusion and decoction ofleaves and stems of fresh plant are eaten as salad for thetreatment of gout and arthritis. 8,9

No systematic studies have been reported for itspharmacognostical and phytochemical study hence aneffort has been made to establish the Pharmacognostical

as well as phytochemical study of Peperomia pellucidastems.

MATERIALS AND METHODSPlant MaterialStems of P. pellucida were collected from the Trikaripurforest areas, kasaragod district of Kerala, India, in themonth of November 2010 in a quantity sufficient for allthe experiments in a single batch. The plant material wasauthenticated by Dr. Khaleel. Course director, Dept. ofEnvironmental Studies, Kannur University, Payyanur andspecimen was submitted and preserved in the Departmentof Pharmacognosy Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Pharmacy (No.

RGIP/Cog/10-11/01), Trikaripur.Preparation of the stem extractThe stem of plant were dried under shade, separated andmade to dry powder. It was then passed through the 40mesh sieve. Dried and powered plant defatted firstly toremove fatty material for this purpose 150 g of weighedpowered plant of Peperomia pellucida was packed inSoxhlet apparatus and extracted with methanol (90%) andthere after distilled water for 36 hrs and completion ofextraction was confirmed by pouring a drop of extractfrom the thimble on a filter paper, which does not showthe presence of any oil spot on that. After completeextraction the solvent was evaporated and concentrated todry residue. The methanol and aqueous extract ofPeperomia pellucida stems yielded greenish brown anddeep brown semi solid residue respectively.

Pharmacognostic studiesMorphology of fresh stems of P. pellucida was studied.Photomicrography of unstained transverse sections andstained transverse sections (using phloroglucinol-HCl) offresh stem was performed. 10 The stems were dried undershade, powdered, stored in airtight containers and usedfor powder study, physico-chemical evaluation andphytochemical screening.

Physicochemical evaluationThe crude plant material was subjected to the physicalevaluation. The various parameters was evaluated such assolvent extractive value, its includes water soluble,methanol soluble extractive value, moisture content, ashvalue including acid insoluble and water soluble ash,foaming index and swelling index. 11,12

Phytochemical screeningThe Phytochemical examination of the methanolic extractwas performed by the standard methods and shows thepresence of various phytochemical constituents. 13-17

Powder Drug with different Chemical ReagentsThe powder drug with different chemical reagents showdifferent colour when seen on naked eye.

Fluorescence AnalysisMany drugs fluorescence when their powder is exposed toultraviolet radiation. It is important to observe allmaterials on reaction with different chemical reagentsunder UV light. The fluorescence characteristics ofpowdered drug were studied under UV light (254nm and356nm) after treating with different chemical reagents.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Macroscopy and MicroscopyStems are succulent, translucent pale green, erect orascending, internodes usually 3-8 cm long, glabrous andhairless (Table 1 , Figure 2 ).Table 1. Macroscopic evaluation of P. Pellucida stem.

Character When fresh After drying PowderColor Yellowish green Green to yellowish GrayOdor Caracteristic Caracteristic CaracteristicTaste Acrid Acrid AcridTexture Thin soft Fibrus FibrusFracture Pale green Straw green Dark green

Fig ure 2. P. pellucida dried stem

Microscopically, the fresh plant transverse section of thestem has shown a polystelic structure. Each collateralvascular bundle and fascicular cambium is covered with auniseriate parenchymatous pericycle and an endodermiswith casperin strips. The epidermis is unilayered withcutical, secretory trichroms and periclinal thick walledcells. The cortex possesses parenchyma and subepidermiccollenchyma arranged in irregular strate. Endodermiscontains 2-4 vascular bundles (Figure 3 ).Fig ure 3. Microscopic evaluation of P. Pellucida stem.

Stem structure in cross-section shows overall diagram detail and vascularbundle of P. pellucida (CL = collenchyma, EP = epidermis, FA = fibers; PA = parenchyma, VB = vascular bundle, XY=xylem, PH= phloem). Powder characteristics P . pellucida stem.The powder microscopy of the stem powder of Peperomia pellucida showed the presence of cork cells 2 to 3 layers,round shaped oil glands, sleder fibres, starch grains,vessels accociated with fibres, tricromes, xylem cells,calcium oxalate crystals etc. (Figure 4 ).


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Fig ure 4. Powder characteristics study of P. pellucida stem (X450).

A, Xylem vessels with reticulate thickening; B, Orange matter; C, Cork cells; D,Pericyclic fibers; E, Calcium oxalate cluster crystal Starch grains and prisms ofcalcium oxalate are scattered throughout the ground tissue.; F, unicellulartrichomes.

Physicochemical evaluationThe Loss on Drying (LOD), Ash Values likes (Total Ash,Acid insoluble ash, Water soluble ash) Water solubleextractive, alcohol soluble extractive, foaming index,Swelling Index and measurement of fibers of stem powderare given in table 2 .Table 2. Quality control parameters of Peperomia pellucida stem.

Sl no Parameter Value; %1 Ash values

Total ash 0.490.02Water soluble ash 0.2740.01Acid insoluble ash 0.0250.01

2 Extractive valuesEthanol (90%) 7.250.02Aqueous 15.050.03

3 Loss on dryingDry matter content 82.70.01Moisture content 17.30.15

4 Foaming index Nil

5 Swelling index 0.80.036 Fibers (in )

Avg. Length 24.030.23Avg. Width 150.610.41

N= Three experiments for each parameter. Values shown are mean S.E.

Phytochemical Screening The result of preliminary phytochemical screening of themethanolic extract of Peperomia pellucida revealed thepresence of alkaloids, carbohydrates, terpenoids, tannins,Flavonoids, steroids and absence of saponins and protein.(Table 3 )Table 3. Preliminary phytochemical analysis ofstem extract of P. Pellucida.

Sl no Phyto- Constituents Stem extract1 Carbohydrates +2 Proteins -3 Alkaloids +4 Saponins -5 Tannins +6 Flavonoids +7 Steroids +8 Triterpenoids +

Powder Drug with different Chemical ReagentsThe powder drug with different chemical reagents showdifferent colour when seen with naked eye as shown inTable 4 .

Fluorescence AnalysisPeperomia pellucida stem and stem powder produceddifferent colour with different chemical reagents under UVlight (short wavelength; 254nm and long wavelength;356nm). The fluorescence characteristics of powdereddrug are shown in table 5 .Table 4. Colour characters of plant powder indifferent solvents

Sl no. Drug treatment Colour

1 Powder as such Pale green

2 Powder + Picric acid Yellowish green

3 Powder + 50% HNO 3 Orange

4 Powder + 1N HCl Dark Brown

5 Powder + 50%H 2SO4 Brown6 Powder + Glacial acetic acid Yellowish green

7 Powder +10% FeCl 3 Green

8 Powder + Iodine Brown

Table 5. Fluorescence characters of stem powder in different solvents

Sl no Particulars of treatment Under ordinary white lightUnder UV light

Short Wavelength (254nm) Long Wavelength (366nm)1 Stem as such Greenish yellow Black Grayish brown2 Stem Powder as such Gray Grayish yellow Greenish white3 Powder + 50% H 2SO4 Black Green Green4 Powder + 1N HCl Brown Greenish black Green5 Powder + 50% HNO 3 Golden yellow Black Light green

6 Powder + 5% KOH Greenish black Greenish black Green7 Powder +MeOH Dark brown Brown Light green

CONCLUSIONEstablishing standards is an integral part of establishingthe correct identity and quality of a crude drug. Before anydrug can be included in the pharmacopoeia, thesestandards must be established. The majority of theinformation on the identity, purity and quality of the plantmaterial can be obtained from its macroscopy, microscopyand physico chemical parameters. As there is no recordon pharmacognostical work on stems of Peperomia pellucida , The present work is undertaken to produce

some pharmacognost ical standards and this foundings

may help to proper identification and ensures the qualityof the drug and also help this amazing plant grown oncommercial basis for better use in pharmaceutical herbalformulations.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTThe author is thankful to the honorable chairman of RajivGandhi Educational Trust and also grateful to thePrincipal, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Pharmacy, Trikaripur,Kasaragod (Dist), Kerala, for giving all encouragement andvaluable support to carry out this research work.

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phytochemical pharmacognostical and physicochemical standardization of peperomia pellucida (l.) hbk

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