Pharmacognostic specifications and quantification of oleanolic acid and lupeol in Mollugo oppositifolia Linn.

Background: Mollugo oppositifolia, is one of the plants commonly used as, ‘Parpata’ by Ayurvedic practitioners. It is indicated as a bitter tonic, antiseptic and febrifuge. Aim: To generate and ensemble data of physical parameters for ascertaining the identification and to develop validated HPTLC method for quantification of oleanolic acid and lupeol in M. oppositifolia. Materials and Methods: M. oppositifolia was studied for establishing pharmacognostic standards including macro and microscopical characters, physico-chemical analysis and quantification of oleanolic acid and lupeol by HPTLC method. Results: It is an annual, prostrate herb with linear-lanceolate leaf and white coloured flower. Microscopically root can be characterized by crescent shaped phloem associated with continuous or discontinuous rings of xylem; stem by epidermis bearing multi-cellular simple and glandular trichomes, and sclerenchymatous pericycle; and leaf by continuous band of a palisade cells and rosettes and prisms of calcium oxalate throughout parenchyma. Powdered drug can be typified by multi-cellular trichomes, fragments of epidermis of leaf in surface view, epidermis of corolla and entire or broken seeds. Saponins and flavanoids were found be the major components. HPTLC method was developed for quantification of oleanolic acid and lupeol using precoated silica gel plates as a stationary phase, and toluene: methanol (9.4: 0.6) as a mobile phase and scanning the plate at 545 nm. The amount of oleanolic acid and lupeol were found to be 0.027-0.029% w/w and 0.015-0.016% w/w respectively. Conclusion: The quality parameters and HPTLC method developed would serve as useful gauge in standardization of Mollugo oppositifolia.