Pharmacognostic standardization with various plant parts of Desmostachya bipinnata

Figures & data

Figure 1. Microscopical characters of Desmostachya bipinnata leaf. (a) T.S. of leaf lamina, (b) T.S. of leaf margin, bundle sheath cells, (c) vascular bundles, phloem, xylem, sclerenchymatous cells, (d) cuticle and bulliform cells and (e) T.S. of mid rib with lamina.

Figure 2. Microscopical characters of Desmostachya bipinnata stem. (a) Starch with oil glands, (b) cortical region, sclerenchymatous sheath followed by vascular bundles, (c) scattered vascular bundles, (d) emerging root from node, (e) meta xylem and pholeum and (f) sclerenchymatous sheath.

Figure 3. Microscopical characters of Desmostachya bipinnata root. (a) T.S. of root, (b) T.S. showing steler region having sclerenchymatous cells, (c) endodermis, metaxylem and phloem and (d) epidermis, trichomes and aerenchymatous cells.

Table 1. Microchemical tests performed with various plant parts of Desmostachya bipinnata (L.) Stapf.

Part of plant	Reagents used	Name of phyto-constituent	Observation/Inference	Histological zone
Leaf	Safranin	–	Red	Whole section
	Iodine solution	Starch	Blue	Bundle sheath cells
	Phloroglucinol and dilute  hydrochloric acid	Lignin	Pink	Vascular bundles
	Ruthenium red solution	Mucilage	No red color	–
	Sudan red solution	Oil globules	No red color	–
	Concentrated hydrochloric acid	Crystals	No change	–
Root	Safranin	–	Red	Whole section
	Iodine solution	Starch	No color	–
	Phloroglucinol and dilute  Hydrochloric acid	Lignin	Pink	Vascular bundles
	Ruthenium red solution	Mucilage	No red color	–
	Sudan red solution	Oil globules	No red color	–
	Concentrated hydrochloric acid	Crystals	No change	–
Stem	Safranin	–	Red	Whole section
	Iodine solution	Starch	Blue	Outer parenchymatous cells
	Phloroglucinol and dilute  hydrochloric acid	Lignin	Pink	Sclerenchymatous sheath,  oil glands and epidermis
	Ruthenium red solution	Mucilage	No red color	–
	Sudan red solution	Oil globules	Red color	Oil glands
	Concentrated hydrochloric acid	Crystals	No change	–

Figure 4. Powder characteristics of aerial parts of Desmostachya bipinnata. (a) Lignified vessel, (b) phloem, (c) fiber, parenchymatous cells and (d) fibers, epidermal cells, parenchymatous cells and vessels.

Figure 5. Powder characteristics of underground parts of Desmostachya bipinnata. (a) Endodermal cells, trichomes, (b) sclerenchymatous cells, (c) fiber and (d) starch grains, vessels.

Table 2. Microscopic measurements for several powder characteristics in Desmostachya bipinnata (L.) Stapf.

		Average size (µm)
Plant part	Parameters	Length	Width
Aerial parts	Fiber	306.02	14.7
	Trichome	186.69	14.7
	Vessel	223.65	50.4
	Starch grains	27.93	22.86
	Cell	58.8	14.7
Underground parts	Fibre	339.96	17.27
	Trichome	235.08	17.35
	Vessel	241.68	35.35
	Starch grains	37.57	32.46
	Cell	32.19	15.15

Table 3. Fluorescence studies with different plant parts of Desmostachya bipinnata (L.) Stapf.

Drug + solvent	Plant part	Visible	Short UV (254 nm)	Long UV (365 nm)
Drug	Aerial Parts	Green	Green	White Fluorescence
	Underground Parts	Brown	Brown	Brownish White Fluorescence
Drug + Water	Aerial Parts	Green	Greenish Brown	Greenish White Fluorescence
	Underground Parts	Light Brown	Light Brown	Greenish Fluorescence
Drug + Methanol	Aerial Parts	Greenish Brown	Dark Green	Whitish Flourescence
	Underground Parts	Brown	Brown	Whitish Flourescence
Drug + Ethanol	Aerial Parts	Greenish Brown	Dark Green	Whitish Flourescence
	Underground Parts	Brown	Brown	Whitish Flourescence
Drug + Ethanolic sodium hydroxide solution	Aerial Parts	Greenish Brown	Greenish Brown	Whitish Flourescence
	Underground Parts	Brown	Greenish Flourescence	Greenish White Fluorescence
Drug + Methanolic sodium hydroxide solution	Aerial Parts	Greenish Brown	Greenish Brown	Whitish Flourescence
	Underground Parts	Brown	Greenish Flourescence	Greenish White Fluorescence
Drug + Ethanolic potassium hydroxide solution	Aerial Parts	Greenish Brown	Greenish Flourescence	Green
	Underground Parts	Brown	Greenish Flourescence	Greenish White Fluorescence
Drug + Methanolic potassium hydroxide solution	Aerial Parts	Greenish Brown	Greenish Flourescence	Green
	Underground Parts	Brown	Greenish Flourescence	Greenish White Fluorescence
Drug + Conc. hydrochloric acid	Aerial Parts	Brownish Green	Brownish Green	Greenish White Fluorescence
	Underground Parts	Light Brown	Greenish Flourescence	Greenish Fluorescence
Drug + Conc. nitric acid	Aerial Parts	Greenish Brown	Greenish Brown	Whitish Flourescence
	Underground Parts	Light Brown	Light Brown	Brownish White Fluorescence
Drug + Conc. sulphuric acid	Aerial Parts	Dark Brown	Black	Greenish White Fluorescence
	Underground Parts	Dark Brown	Navy Blue	Black
Drug + Petroleum ether	Aerial Parts	Brown	Dark Green	Whitish Flourescence
	Underground Parts	Brown	Greenish Flourescence	Whitish Flourescence
Drug + Chloroform	Aerial Parts	Brown	Dark Green	Whitish Flourescence
	Underground Parts	Brown	Brown	Whitish Flourescence
Drug + Sodium hydroxide solution	Aerial Parts	Greenish Brown	Dark Green	Whitish Flourescence
	Underground Parts	Brown	Greenish Flourescence	Whitish Flourescence
Drug + Potassium hydroxide solution	Aerial Parts	Greenish Brown	Dark Green	Whitish Flourescence
	Underground Parts	Brown	Greenish Flourescence	Whitish Flourescence
Drug + Acetic acid	Aerial Parts	Greenish Brown	Greenish Flourescence	Whitish Green Flourescence
	Underground Parts	Brown	Greenish Flourescence	Whitish Flourescence
Drug + Ammonia	Aerial Parts	Greenish Brown	Greenish Flourescence	Whitish Green Flourescence
	Underground Parts	Brown	Greenish Flourescence	Whitish Flourescence

Table 4. Estimated standardization parameters of Desmostachya bipinnata (L.) Stapf as per WHO guidelines.

Parameter	Aerial parts	Underground parts
LOD	7.25 ± 0.25%	7.00 ± 0.66%
Total ash values	6.91 ± 0.14%	9.25 ± 0.86%
Acid insoluble ash	4.60 ± 0.10%	3.83 ± 0.52%
Water soluble ash	0.91 ± 0.14%	3.06 ± 0.60%
Sulphated ash	4.90 ± 0.17%	1.58 ± 0.14%
Crude fiber content	40.66 ± 1.6%	27.9 ± 1.35%
Foreign organic matter	Not found	Not found
Swelling index	8 ml	6 ml
Foaming index	<100	<100
Extractive value in water	8.53 ± 0.61%	10.06 ± 1.02%
Extractive value in  hydroalcholic solvent	10.00 ± 0.80%	10.40 ± 0.40%
Extractive value in alcohol	14.06 ± 1.02%	3.73 ± 0.61%
Extractive value in chloroform	1.67 ± 0.11%	1.66 ± 0.11%
Extractive value in petroleum ether	1.60 ± 0.40%	0.60 ± 0.20%
Extractive value in ethyl acetate	1.73 ± 0.23%	2.26 ± 0.23%

Table 5. Extractive yields estimated for various plant parts of Desmostachya bipinnata (L.) Stapf.

Extractive yield in solvent	Aerial parts	Underground parts
Water	18.36 ± 1.5	8.33 ± 0.92
Hydroalcoholic	16.06 ± 0.32	10.45 ± 0.19
Alcohol	11.01 ± 0.79	5.21 ± 0.07
Chloroform	2.83 ± 0.11	1.54 ± 0.06
Ethyl acetate	3.73 ± 0.20	2.38 ± 0.16

Table 6. Phytochemical tests performed with various plant parts of Desmostachya bipinnata (L.) Stapf.

			Observation
Phyto-chemicals	Chemical test	Plant Part	Water extract	Hydro-alcoholic extract	Alcoholic extract	Chloroform extract	Petroleum ether extract	Ethyl acetate extract
Carbohydrates	Molisch’s test	Aerial Parts	+	+	+	+	+	−
		Underground Parts	+	+	+	−	−	+
	Benedict’s test	Aerial Parts	+	+	+	+	+	−
		Underground Parts	+	+	−	−	−	−
	Starch	Aerial Parts	−	−	−	−	−	−
		Underground Parts	−	−	−	−	−	−
Alkaloids	Dragendroff’s test	Aerial Parts	−	+	+	+	+	−
		Underground Parts	+	+	+	+	+	+
	Mayer’s test	Aerial Parts	−	+	+	+	+	−
		Underground Parts	−	−	−	+	+	−
	Marqui’s test	Aerial Parts	−	+	+	+	−	−
		Underground Parts	−	−	+	+	+	−
Steroids	Salkowski test	Aerial Parts	−	+	+	+	+	−
		Underground Parts	−	+	+	+	+	−
Proteins	Biuret test	Aerial Parts	−	−	−	−	−	−
		Underground Parts	−	−	−	−	−	−
	Millon’s test	Aerial Parts	−	−	−	−	−	−
		Underground Parts	−	−	−	−	−	−
Glycosides	Borntager	Aerial Parts	−	−	−	−	−	−
		Underground Parts	−	−	−	−	−	−
	Mod. Borntager	Aerial Parts	−	−	−	−	−	−
		Underground Parts	+	+	+	−	−	−
	Killer killani	Aerial Parts	+	+	+	−	−	−
		Underground Parts	+	+	+	−	−	+
	Legal	Aerial Parts	+	+	+	−	−	−
		Underground Parts	−	−	−	−	−	−
Fats and oils	Filter paper spot test	Aerial Parts	−	−	−	−	−	−
		Underground Parts	−	−	−	−	−	−
Saponins	Foam test	Aerial Parts	+	+	−	−	−	−
		Underground Parts	+	+	−	−	−	−
Tannins and phenolic compounds	5% FeCl3	Aerial Parts	+	+	+	−	−	−
		Underground Parts	−	−	−	−	−	−
	Lead acetate	Aerial Parts	+	+	+	−	+	−
		Underground Parts	−	−	−	−	−	−
	Gelatin	Aerial Parts	+	+	+	−	+	−
		Underground Parts	−	−	−	−	−	−
Flavanoids	Shinoda	Aerial Parts	+	+	+	+	+	−
		Underground Parts	−	+	+	−	+	+
Coumarins	FeCl3+ HNO3	Aerial Parts	−	+	+	−	−	−
		Underground Parts	−	+	+	+	+	+
	NaOH + UV	Aerial Parts	−	+	+	−	−	−
		Underground Parts	−	+	+	+	+	+
Volatile oils	Sudan III	Aerial Parts	+	+	+	+	+	+
		Underground Parts	−	+	+	−	+	−

Table 7. Chromatographic profile of various plant parts of Desmostachya bipinnata.

Phytoconstituents	Detecting reagent	Solvent system	Water	Hydroalcoholic	Alcohol	Chloroform	Ethyl acetate
(a) Desmostachya bipinnata aerial plant parts
Alkaloids	Dragendroff’s reagent	Ethanol:Formic acid (8:2)	–	0.6	0.63	0.62	–
Tannins	Ferric chloride	Toluene:Chloroform:   Acetone (40:25:35)	–	0.7	0.7	–	–
Flavonoids	Iodine and short UV 254	Chloroform:Methanol (9:1)	0.3	0.32	0.10, 0.30	0.10, 0.30, 0.36	–
Steroids	Iodine and long UV 364	Chloroform:Methanol:   Water (65:50:10)	–	0.49	0.49	0.47	0.44
Glycosides	Iodine and long UV 364	Ethylacetate:Formic acid:   Glacial acetic acid:   Water (100:11:11:26)	0.23	0.23	0.23	–	–
Coumarins	Iodine and UV	Butanol:Acetic acid:Water (4:1:5)	–	0.6	0.63	–	–
(b) Desmostachya bipinnata underground plant parts
Alkaloids	Dragendroff’s reagent	Ethanol:Formic acid (8:2)	0.66	0.67	0.64	0.7	0.6
Tannins	Ferric chloride	Toluene:Chloroform:   Acetone (40:25:35)	–	–	–	–	–
Flavonoids	Iodine and short UV 254	Chloroform:Methanol (9:1)	–	0.85	0.12, 0.41, 0.46,  0.54, 0.85	–	0.37, 0.53, 0.85
Steroids	Iodine and long UV 364	Chloroform:Methanol:   Water (65:50:10)	–	–	0.48, 0.15	–	–
Glycosides	Iodine and long UV 364	Ethylacetate:Formic acid:   Glacial acetic acid:   Water (100:11:11:26)	0.36, 0.40	0.27, 0.32	0.24, 0.31	–	–
Coumarins	Iodine and UV	Butanol:Acetic acid:Water (4:1:5)	–	0.79	0.79	0.79	0.79