Tropical Plant Research

Tropical Plant Research

An International Journal by Society for Tropical Plant Research

ISSN (E): 2349-1183 ISSN (P): 2349-9265
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2017, VOLUME 4 ISSUE 1Pages: 153-160

Pharmacognostical studies on Saraca asoca (Roxb.) Willd. flower

Anupam Bisht*, Saba Irshad, A. K. S. Rawat and Harinath Dwivedi
*School of Pharmacy, Babu Banarasi Das University, Faizabad Road, Lucknow-226028, India
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Abstract:
Saraca asoca is a medium sized handsome evergreen tree of Caesalpiniaceae family. It is distributed in the central and eastern Himalayas and Kashi, Garo and Lushai hills. It is used in folk medicine for the treatment of many diseases. Bark is useful in menorrhagia, leaves have blood purifying properties and seeds are used for treating bone fractures and vesical calculi. Flowers of S. asoca are considered to be uterine tonic and used in dysentery and dried flowers are used in diabetes. The aim of present study was to investigate pharmacognostical and phytochemical profile of S. asoca flower. Powder microscopy of flower showed covering trichomes, spiral xylem vessels, oval-spherical pollen grains, oil gland, prismatic crystals and minute starch grains. β-sitosterol, a phytosterol was identified at Rf 0.80 and quantified to 0.06 % in the flower. Phytochemically the plant was found to contain flavonoids, glycosides, saponins, phenolics and tannins.
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