STUDIES ON MORPHOHISTOLOGICAL AND PHYSICO-CHEMICAL EVALUATION OF SOME Swertia spp.
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Date
2011
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Publisher
UHF,NAUNI,SOLAN
Abstract
ABSTRACT
The present investigation entitled studies on “Morphohistological and physicochemical evaluation of some
Swertia spp.,” was carried out in the department of the forest products, Dr. Y. S. Parmar university of Horticulture and
Forestry, Nauni, Solan, (H. P) during 2008-2010. The study was carried out under four experiments on five Swertia species
viz. S. chirayita, S. alata, S. angustifolia, S. cordata and S. purpurascens. Excepting S. chirayita which was procured from
the university farm at shilly, the remaining four species were collected from their natural habitats from the district of Shimla
and Solan. In 1st experiment i.e. “Morphological and histological studies”, morphological features of the five species were
recorded for plant height, number of side branches, number of prominent veins, type of leaf, stem and inflorescence. S.
cordata and S. purpurascens were pentamerous species with five sepals and petals whereas S. chirayita, S. alata and S.
angustifolia were tetramerous with four sepals and four petals each. Both tetramerous and pentamerous species showed
bicarpellary syncarpous ovary. Swertia chirayita was differentiated from other tetramerous and pentamerous species on the
basis of the two nectar glands present at the base of each petal whereas the other species showed single nectar gland only.
Among histological parameters stomatal index, stomatal size (length and breadth), trichome types, T. S. of stem and V. S of
leaf were studied. The shape of epidermal cells was observed to be strongly wavy in S. angustifolia and S. purpurascens and
mildly wavy in S. cordata whereas, in S. chirayita and S. alata it was angular. Both unicellular as well as multicellular
trichomes were observed in all the species. The type of stomata offered a good distinction as S. chirayita was found to have
anisocytic type of stomata whereas all the other species showed anomocytic type only. Stomatal index ranged from
31.98±0.42 in S. angustifolia to 18.69±0.20 in S. cordata. Amphiphloic siphonostele was present in all five Swertia species.
Cellular inclusions were present in S. chirayita and S. angustifolia only. Endodermis was quite distinct in S. chirayita than
other species. In 2nd experiment i.e. “Thin layer chromatographic profile of extract of some Swertia species in different
solvent systems. TLC of methanol extract found effective in differentiating S. chirayita from other species due to presence of
amarogentin only in S. chirayita. In 3rd experiment i.e. physico-chemical evaluation, the plants of five Swertia species were
analyzed for their physicochemical values viz. total ash, acid insoluble ash, sulphated ash, alcohol soluble extractives and
water soluble extractive. Total ash was found maximum in S. cordata (5.81%) and minimum in S. purpurascens (4.00%).
Acid insoluble ash contents for all the five Swertia species was observed minimum (0. 51%) in S. alata and the maximum in
S. cordata (0.94%). Sulphated ash was found maximum in S. chirayita (7.78%) and minimum in S. purpurascens (5.24%).
Alcohol soluble extractives were found minimum in S. purpurascens (15.20%) and maximum in S. angustifolia
(22.03%).Water soluble extractives were found minimum in S. purpurascens (18.20%) and maximum in S. angustifolia
(24.40%). The 4th experiment i.e. “studies on the stability of bitter compounds of Swertia chirayita in different solvent
systems”, in this experiment pure amarogentin compound was stored in methanol, methanol:water mixtures (75:25, 50:50.
25:75) and water. The result showed maximum decrease in amarogentin content in methanol:water mixtures which reduced
from original value to 18.35-27.81%
Description
Keywords
irrigation, energy resources, biological phenomena, land resources, environment, wood, economics, seasons, manpower, planting