Detailed Pharmacognostical and Phytochemical Screening of Stem and Stem Bark of Ficus semicordata Buch.-Ham. Ex sm. - An Extra Pharmacopoeial Drug of Ayurveda

Introduction: Stem bark of Bhumi udumbara (Ficus semicordata Buch.-Ham. ex Sm.) is used traditionally in the treatment of leprosy, ulcer, dysentery, wound, pregnancy, complaints of gastric, liver, bladder and various disorders. In present study, stem and stem bark of F. semicordata are explored for their microscopic including powder microscopy, physiochemical and preliminary phytochemical aspects. Materials and Methods: Stem and stem bark of the plant, after proper authentication by BSI Kolkata, were evaluated following standard procedures. Results: Stem is hard, cylindrical, cut pieces measures about 10 - 25cm in length and 0.4 – 0.8 cm in diameter. Diagrammatic transverse section of stem shows outer cork followed by wide parenchymatous cortex with prismatic and rhomboidal crystals, starch grains and tannin content. Powder light brown in colour; odour woody; taste tasteless to astringent; texture fibrous. Stem bark is hard, single quilled after drying, outer dark reddish brown in colour with presence of lenticels, longitudinal cut fibres, rough in surface. Diagrammatic section, of the bark, shows outer several layered cork followed by cortical region along with medullary rays. Powder tortilla(brown) in colour; odour slightly aromatic; taste astringent; texture fibrous. Loss on drying at 110°C was found to be 7.41% and 8.60% of stem and stem bark respectively. HPTLC results shows 3 peaks and 0 peak at 254 and 366 nm of stem and 3 peaks at 254 and 366 nm of stem bark respectively. Discussion and Conclusion: Woody stem and presence of brown content, tannin, rhomboidal and prismatic crystals in stem and stem bark are the diagnostic characters.