PHYTOPHARMACOGNOSTICAL STUDY ON ‘MAKKHAN KATORI’: FICUS KRISHNAE

Background: Ficus krishnae (Moraceae) is also known as Krishna fig, Krishna’s butter cup (E) & Makkhan Katori (H). Its aerial root is styptic, useful in syphilis, biliousness, dysentery, inflammation of liver etc. It has been proven to have anti-diabetic and anti-hyperlipidemic activity. Phenolic compounds and halogenated coumarins have been isolated from it. Objectives: However, no pharmacognostic work of this species has been reported so far, thus serving as a basis for initiation of the present work. Methods: Detailed morphological and qualitative as well as quantitative microscopic study was carried out. Results: A special feature of the leaves is that they have a pocket-like fold at the base. Chief features of the transverse section are the presence of hypodermis in the lamina, bilayered palisade and crescent-shaped vascular bundles. Chief powder characters are anomocytic stomata, spirally-thickened xylem vessels, dagger-shaped covering trichomes and cluster crystals of calcium oxalate. Preliminary phytochemical screening showed the presence of alkaloids, cardiac glycosides, saponins, flavonoids, tannins and carbohydrates. Conclusion: This study, combined with quantitative microscopic data, can be useful in evaluation and detection of adulteration in plant material or formulations of the leaves of this species.