Pharmacognostic Study of Seeds of Dolichos Biflorus L

Abstract

Seeds of D. biflorus are reputed for their medicinal value. Its decoction has been used to extract stones from gall-bladder, kidney, and liver besides alleviating certain other urinary ailments. It has recently been established that only crystals of calcium-oxalate can be disintegrated by the decoction while those of phosphate are not affected. The seeds have, thus, a recognised medicinal importance. The histological structures of the seeds, helpful in their easy diagnosis, have been studied and described in the text.