PHARMACOGNOSTIC AND PHYTO-PHYSICOCHEMICAL EVALUATION OF PEDALIUM MUREX LINN

Abstract

Medicinal plants have been of age long remedies for human diseases because they contain components of therapeutic value1. Plants are rich sources of ecologically developed secondary metabolites, which are potential remedies for different ailments. Pedalium murex L. (Pedaliaceae) is a diffuse, more or less succulent herb found near the sea coast of south India2. In and around Visakhapatnam the plant is very prolific after summer rains. An infusion from leaves and stems was reported to be used in the treatment of gonorrhea and dysuria. Leaves are used for ulcers. Fresh leaves and young shoots dipped and kept for few minutes in boiling milk, such milk is used as an aphrodisiac. A decoction of the fruits was mentioned to be effective as demulcent, diuretic, antispasmodic and aphrodisiac.The decoction is useful in irritation of the urinary organs. Juice of the fruit is an emmenagogue. It contains alkaloids, a greenish fatty oil, small amount of resin and ash. Fruit contains a mucilagenous alkaloid, fat, resin, and gum. Caffeic acid, cumaric acid, daucosterol, ferulic acid, hepatatriacontonic acid3, vanillic acid4, ursolic acid and sitosterol were isolated from this plant. Flavonoids, triterpenoids, steroids, lipids, fatty acids, phenolic acids, amino acids and carbohydrates of Pedalium murex were reported5. The extensive literature survey revealed that Pedalium murex is important medicinal plant with diverse pharmacological spectrum. The plant shows the presence of many chemical constituents which are responsible for varied pharmacological and medicinal property. Therefore, the present investigation was intended to evaluate the preliminary phytochemical characters of this plant. Phytochemical studies facilitate new discovery for the synthesis of more potent drugs.