European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

PHARMACOGNOSTICAL STUDY OF AMALAKI (EMBLICA OFFICINALIS GAERTN.)

Dr. Ketan Rathwa* and Dr. Rakesh Salve

ABSTRACT

Any plant which is used medicinally requires detail study prior to its use because the therapeutic efficacy is absolutely depends on the quality of the plant drug used. It is also the first step to standardize a drug which is the need of the day. If the plant drugs are adulterated, then the quality of preparation cannot give the desirable results. So before using a drug it is very much essential to carry out its detailed Pharmacognostical study. Freshly collected Amalaki were subjected for Pharmacognostical study. The taste of fresh Amalaki and Amalaki powder was sour and astringent. Transverse section of fresh Amalaki and dry showed an epicarp consisting of single layer of epidermis. Epidermal cells tubular in shape covered externally with a thick cuticle and appear in surface view as polygonal. Mesocarp forms bulk of fruit consisting of thin walled parenchymatous cells with intercellular spaces, peripheral 6-9 layers smaller, ovoid or tangentially elongated while rest of the cells are larger in size, isodiametric and radially elongated. The powder microscopy of Amalaki powder showed prismatic crystals of calcium oxalate, fragments of Mesocarp cells, groups of sclerides, fibers, tannin containing cells and stone cells.

Keywords: Amalaki, Cell, Mesocarp, Pharmacognosy.