A Complete Pharmacognostical Profile of Rungia repens

Background: Rungia repens is one of the plants cited as ‘Parpata’ in Ayurvedic literature and indicated as febrifuge, antitussive and vermifuge. Aim: To generate and ensemble data of physical parameters for ascertaining the identification and develop validated HPTLC method for quantification of kaempferol in R. repens. Materials and Methods: R. repens was studied for establishing pharmacognostic standards including macro and microscopical characters, physico-chemical analysis and quantification of kaempferol by HPTLC method. Results: It is a small, much branched, prostrate or sub-erect herb with lanceolate leaf and violet flowers. Microscopically root can be characterized by collenchymatous phloem associated with wide lignified xylem; stem by epidermis with simple and glandular trichomes and collenchymatous hypodermis; and leaf by epidermis embedded with cystoliths and bearing covering and glandular trichomes. Powdered drug can be typified by cystoliths, trichomes of aforementioned type, pollen grains and fragments of cork. Further studies revealed that brunt of heavy metal and microbial load in plant material was within permissible limits. Flavonoids and phenolics were found be major components. HPTLC method was developed for quantification of kaempferol using precoated silica gel plates as a stationary phase, and toluene: ethyl acetate: dichloromethane: formic acid: methyl ethyl ketone (5: 1: 1.5: 0.5: 0.8) as a mobile phase and scanning the plate at 254 nm. Conclusion: The distinctive quality profile data and validated HPTLC method tailored for Rungia repens using kaempferol as a marker, would aid as expedient measures for its evaluation.