Pharmacognostic standardization and preliminary phytochemical studies of Gaultheria trichophylla

Figures & data

Figure 1. Photograph of G. trichophylla taken at collection site and its fruit.

Table 1. Organoleptic evaluation of leaf, stem, and fruit of G. trichophylla.

Parameters	Leaf	Stem	Fruit
Color	Upper surface dark green, lower surface whitish green	Dark brown	Unripe – pinkish white
			Ripen – blue
Shape	Oval, with long bristle (setae)	Wiry, slender	Oval
Size	Length 4–8 mm long, diameter 2.3–4 mm	Length 4–7 cm or more, diameter 1 mm	Length 1.4 ± 0.2 cm Diameter 1 ± 0.2 cm
Taste	Very characteristic of salicylates	Slight bitter	Slightly sweet and cool
Odor	Salicylate like	Slight	Slightly sweet
Fracture	Dry leaves very brittle	Complete	–
Powdered drug:
Color	Light green	Light brown	–
Odor	Like salicylic acid, aromatic	Slight	–
Taste	Salicylic acid taste	Bitter	–
Filter paper test (whole plant)	Volatile oils detected

Figure 2. TS of leaf midrib: P, pith; X, xylems; Ph, phloem; Sc, sclerenchyma; Co, collenchyma; Ep, epidermis.

Figure 3. Venation pattern of G. trichophylla leaf.

Table 2. Study of microscopic and physicochemical parameters of G. trichophylla.

Parameters	Value
Vein termination number	3–4 per vein islet
Vein islet number	2–4
Palisade ratio	1.5–2
Stomatal index	22 ± 2
Ash value	Total ash: 24.5%, water soluble: 5.7%, acid insoluble: 17.8%
Loss on drying	Leaves: 9.21 mg/g, roots: 18.79 mg/g
Extractive values	Methanol: 21.85%, ethylacetate: 18.2%, chloroform: 16.35%, hexane: 7%

Figure 4. Microscopy of stem bark of G. trichophylla. (A) Bundle of fibers(SEM), (B) wood tissue (SEM), (C) longitudinal section of (reticulate and pitted) vessels, and (D) starch grains.

Figure 5. Scanning electron microscopy of leaf of G. trichophylla. (A) Epidermis showing arrangement of (paracytic) stomata, (B) a single stomata, (C) surface view of epidermis showing epicuticular wax, (D) palisade mesophyll, (E) upper epidermis (thick walled) in the surface view with underlying palisade and crystal of calcium oxalate, and (F) leaf setae.

Table 3. Fluorescence analysis of powdered drug G. trichophylla in ordinary light and UV light.

No.	Treatment	Ordinary light	UV-short range	UV-long range
1	Normal	Greenish brown	Brown	Light green
2	HNO3 conc.	Dark orange	Yellowish brown	Reddish brown
3	HCL conc.	Brownish green	Brown	Light green
4	H2SO4 conc.	Greenish brown	Light green	Brown
5	Ammonia solution	Green	Brown	Light green
6	FeCl3	Dark reddish brown	Dark brown	Dark brown
7	CCl4	Greenish brown	Brown	Light brown
8	Acetic Acid	Greenish brown	Brown	Pink
9	Xylene	Dark green	Pinkish brown	Reddish
10	Iodine 5%	Light green	Brown	Brown
11	Picric acid	Brown	Brown	Brown
12	NaOH	Dark brown	Brown	Brown
13	Distilled water	Greenish brown	Greenish brown	Greenish brown
14	Chloroform	Greenish brown	Dark brown	Light blue

Table 4. Histochemical detection of leaf, bark, and fruit of G. trichophylla.

				Sample
No	Test for	Test applied	Observation	Leaf	Bark	Fruit
1	Cellulose cell walls	Iodinated zinc chloride test	Blue to blue violet color	+	+	+
2	Lignified cell walls	Phloroglucinol HCl test	Pink to cherry red color	+	+	+
3	Cuticular cell wall	Sudan red test	Orange red or red	−	−	−
4	Aleurone grains	Iodine ethanol test	Yellowish brown to brown	−	−	+
5	Calcium carbonate	Acetic acid/HCl	Dissolve with effervescence	−	−	−
6	Calcium oxalate	Acetic acid/HCl/sulfuric acid	Insoluble in acetic acid/dissolve in HCl and sulfuric acid	−	−	−
7	Fats, fatty oils, volatile oils	Sudan red test/ethanol	Fatty subs: orange red to red, don’t dissolve in ethanol. Volatile oils dissolve in ethanol	+	+	+
8	Hydroxy anthraquinones	Potassium hydroxide	Stain red	−	−	+
9	Inulin	Naphthol/sulfuric acid	Brownish red and dissolve	+	−	_
10	Mucilage	Chinese ink	Transparent spherical dilated fragments	+	+	+
11	Starch	Iodine test	Blue or reddish blue	+	+	+
12	Tannin	Ferric chloride test	Bluish black/greenish black.	+	+	−

Figure 6. HPLC chromatograph of G. trichophylla methanol extract and Rutin at 360 nm.

Figure 7. HPLC chromatograph of G. trichophylla chloroform extract and rutin at 360 nm.

Figure 8. HPLC chromatograph of G. trichophylla methanol extract and gallic acid at 280 nm.

Figure 9. HPLC chromatograph of G. trichophylla chloroform extract and quercetin at 280 nm.

Figure 10. HPLC chromatograph of G. trichophylla chloroform extract and gallic acid at 360 nm.