PHARMACOGNOSTICAL AND PHYSICO-CHEMICAL SCREENING OF EUPHORBIA TIRUCALLI STEM-BARK

Euphorbia tirucalli L. is a flowering shrub or tiny tree, indigenous to temperate regions. It is useful in the treatment of whooping cough, asthma, dyspepsia, colic, jaundice and some more ailments. Aim of the present investigation was to study pharmacognostical and physico-chemical screening of E. tirucalli stem-bark. Fresh and dried stem-bark with powder of E. tirucalli was evaluated using macroscopic and microscopic appraisal. Physico-chemical, preliminary phytochemical, fluorescence and quantitative evaluation along with primary HPTLC fingerprinting analysis were performed. Macroscopic appraisal confirmed that E. tirucalli has herbaceous odour with tongue sensitizing bitter taste. Dried stems are greenish brown and surface is longitudinally finely striated. Microscopic appraisal of stem-bark consists of epidermis, cortex and vascular cylinder. Foreign matter was found to be 0.26%. Total ash, acid insoluble ash and water soluble ashes were found to be 3.66%, 0.33% and 3.39%, respectively. Loss on drying was 6.58%. Swelling and foaming index were 6.92 mL and 200 mL, respectively. Quantitative evaluation suggested that the stem-bark has 0.38% and 4.60% alkaloid and saponin contents, respectively. HPTLC fingerprinting of ET6 extract fraction showed Rf values 0.04 (255 nm, 365 nm), 0.20 (400 nm), 0.21 (290 nm), 0.27 (400 nm) and others at various concentrations. Present investigation aids in developing the quality control parameters for standardization of E. tirucalli stem-bark.