title: Pharmacognostic standardization of stems of Thespesia lampas (Cav.) Dalz & Gibs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To establish the standardization parameters for complete pharmacognostic evaluation of stems of Thespesia lampas (T. lampas) (Cav.) Dalz & Gibs (Malvaceae), an important plant in the Indian system of medicine.
  
  
  METHODS
  Morphological, microscopical, physico-chemical evaluations, florescence analysis of T. lampas stems were investigated and preliminary phytochemical analysis, GC-MS analysis and HPTLC fingerprinting were carried out for qualitative phytochemical evaluation of various extracts of stems of T. lampas.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Chemo-microscopy revealed the presence of lignin, starch grains and calcium oxalate crystals. Physico-chemical evaluation used to determine numerical standards showed a result with total ash (9.03 ± 0.05) % w/w, acid insoluble ash (1.50 ± 0.01) % w/w, water soluble ash (2.51 ± 0.02) % w/w, sulphated ash (7.50 ± 0.01) % w/w, ethanol soluble extractive (0.24 ± 0.02) % w/w, water soluble extractive (0.08 ± 0.01) % w/w, moisture content (6.03 ± 0.05) % w/w and total crude fibre content of stem powder (47.36 ± 0.32) % w/w. Behavior characteristics of the stem powder showed presence of steroids, starch, alkaloid, flavonoids and proteins. Preliminary phytochemical analysis revealed presence of glycosides, phenolic compounds, tannins, steroids, saponins, flavonoids, carbohydrates and proteins. GC-MS analysis showed the presence of fatty acids such as dodecanoic acid, tetradecanoic acid, n-hexadecanoic acid, 9-tetradecenal and HPTLC fingerprinting revealed the presence of β-sitosterol and quercetin in stems of T. lampas.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The pharmacognostic standardization of T. lampas is useful towards establishing standards for quality, purity and sample identification.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacognosy, Amrutvahini College of Pharmacy, Sangamner-422 608, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Chumbhale
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Upasani
mesh_terms: D000470:Alkaloids / Q000494:pharmacology; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D019684:Magnoliopsida / Q000737:chemistry*; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D010598:Pharmacognosy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018547:Plant Stems / Q000737:chemistry*; D012015:Reference Standards; D013256:Steroids / Q000494:pharmacology; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D005419:Flavonoids; D010936:Plant Extracts; D013256:Steroids; D014867:Water
keywords: GC-MS analysis; Malvaceae; Periderm; Pharmacognosy; Phelloderm; Physicochemical analysis; Preliminary phytochemical testing; Stems; Thespesia lampas; Xylem