title: Morpho-anatomical and physicochemical studies of Fumaria indica (Hausskn.) Pugsley.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study morpho-anatomical characters and physicochemical analysis of Fumaria indica (F. indica) (Hausskn.) Pugsley, (Fumariaceae), an important medicinal plant used extensively for treating a variety of ailments in various system of indigenous medicine.
  
  
  METHODS
  Evaluation of the different parts of the plant was carried out to determine the morpho-anatomical, physicochemical, phytochemical and HPTLC fingerprinting profile of F. indica and other WHO recommended methods were performed for standardization.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Morpho-anatomical studies showed compound and pinnatifid leaf, 4 to 6 cm in length, linear and oblong in shape and anomocytic arrangement of stomata, thin walled parenchymatous cells, scattered, sclerenchymatous, capped vascular bundles and radiating medullary rays. Physicochemical studies showed foreign matter 0.2%, loss on drying 6.8%, total ash 16.77%, alcohol and water soluble extractives 8.92% and 20.26%, respectively, sugar 17.75%, starch 22.97% and tannins 2.37%. Phytochemical evaluation revealed the presence of carbohydrate, alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, tannins and sterol. Thin layer chromatography was carried out with different solvents and the best solvent system was chloroform and methanol in 80:20 ratio and revealed 12 spots with different Rf value under UV light 366λ.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the study can serve as a valuable source of information and provide suitable standards for identification of this plant material for future investigations and applications.
authors.affiliation: University Institute of Pharmacy, Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University, Kanpur 208024, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Prakash Chandra
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Ch V
authors.initials: ChV
authors.lastname: Rao
mesh_terms: D031312:Fumaria / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology; D010641:Phenotype; D064209:Phytochemicals / Q000737:chemistry; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology; D018547:Plant Stems / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D064209:Phytochemicals; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: HPTLC; Morpho-anatomy; Physicochemical; Stomata; Transverse sections; Xylem