Practical Pharmacognosy

Yemeni Jordanian University
Faculty of Pharmacy
‫األردنية‬ ‫اليمنية‬ ‫الجامعة‬
‫الصيدلة‬ ‫كلية‬
Practical
Pharmacognosy
2
3rd
year pharmacy
Pharmacist: Othman Ahmed O.

Practical PharmacognosyPh: Othman A. Al-Shapi
1
Seeds
Fenugreek seeds
 Plant information:
Botanical origin:- Dried seeds of Trigonella foenum graceum.
Family:- Leguminosae
Plant Properties :-
 Annual herbaceous plant.
 Yellow, pale brown, or dark yellow (Colored seeds).
 Aromatic odor.
 Bitter taste.
Active constituents:-
1- Saponin glycoside.
2- Fixed oil 66%.
3- Protein.
4- Mucilage.
5- Alkaloids (trigonillin, choline).
6- Bitter principle.

2
Uses of fenugreek seeds:-
1- Nutrient.
2- Demulcent.
3- Lactogenic.
4- Stomachic.
5- Hypoglycemic agent.
 Microscopical examination:
1- Epidermis of the testa (a).
2- Corona- (cutical, epidermis, hypodermis of the testa) (b).
3- Hypodermis of the testa (c).
4- Epidermis & paranchymatous cell of the cotyledons (e).
 Chemical test of saponins in fenugreek:
1- Heat 1g of fenugreek with 10 ml 70% ethanol over water bath for 5 min.
then filter.
2- Put 5 ml of extract in test tube and add 5 ml dil.HCl
3- Heat to boiling and continue boiling until turbidity is formed.
4- Cool then filter
5- To the filter add dil.NaOH soln. until the liquid is alkaline to litmus (turns
to blue), then add 5 ml Fehling soln. and heat.
6- The blue color of the soln. turns green with heating.
7- Continue heating until red ppt. (CaOH) is formed.

3
Linseed (Flaxseed)
Botanical origin:- Dried seeds of Linum usitatissimum.
Family:- Linaceae
Plant properties:-
 Annual herbaceous plant, with blue color.
 Pale brown colored seeds.
 Odorless.
 Mucilaginous taste (Nutty).
1- Fixed oil 30-40% (Lin oil).
2- Protein (in aleurone layer).
3- Mucilage
4- Cyanogenic glycosides (linmarin).
Uses of linseeds oil:-
1- Demulcent
2- Mild laxative
3- Emollient
4- Cosmetic (cream and lotion)
5- Industrial uses (paint& varnishes "drying oil", ink and soap.

4
1- Pigments cell layer (b).
2- Fragment from the seed coat (c).
3- Cotyledon tissue (e).
 Chemical test of cyanogenic glycosides in linseed:
1- Place well triturated 3g of linseeds (freshly crushed) + 5ml water in a
clean conical flask.
2- Hang a strip of paper moistened with sodium picrate reagent on the neck
of the flask by well stopper and leave it for 30min.
3- The yellow color of the paper moistened by sodium picrate reagent turns
reddish brown as indication of liberation of cyanide ion from
cyanogenitic glycosides which present in linseeds.

5
Black mustard
Botanical origin:- dried ripe seeds of Brassica nigra.
Family:- Cruciferae
Plant properties:-
1- Annual herbaceous plant with yellow flowers and cruciferous leaves.
2- The seeds are globular, the testa is dark dark reddish-brown to yellow.
3- The embryo is oily and greenish-yellow or yellow.
4- Pungent taste.
5- Characteristic odor.
1- Thiocyanate glycosides (sinigrin) 0.7-1.3%.
Sinigrin by myrosin allylisothiocyanate (mustard oil, V.O) +glucose+KHSO4
2- Myrosin enzyme.
3- Fixed oil 27%.
4- Protein 30%.
Uses of Black mustard:-
1- Condiment
2- Rubefacient.
3- Externally as a counter-irritant.
4- Emetic in large dose (if the dose > 10gm).

6
1- Mucilaginous epidermis of the testa & sclereids (a).
2- Aleurone & oil droplets (c).
3- Thin walled epidermis filled with mucilage (e).
*Why is Mustard Gas given this name?!

7
Barks
Cinnamon Bark
Botanical origin:- dried bark of Cinnamomum zeylanicum.
Family:- Lauraceae
Plant properties:-
 Perennial handsome evergreen large trees.
 The external bark surface is yellowish-brown.
 The inner bark surface is dark brown.
 Aromatic odor.
 The taste is warm, sweet and aromatic.
1- Cinnamon oil (V.O): a- Cinnamic aldehyde 60-70% b- Eugnol.
2- Mucilage (mannitol).
3- Tannins.
4- Sugar and starch.

8
Uses of cinnamon barks:-
1- Carminative
2- Flavor.
3- Antiseptic.
4- Anti-diarrhea.
5- Powerful germicide.
 Microscopical examination:-
1- Modularly ray tissue with calcium oxalate needles (a).
2- Fibers (b).
3- Stone cells (c).
Chemical test of cinnamic aldehyde in cinnamon:
1- To 1 ml of cinnamon oil add 1 ml benedicts solution.
2- Boil for few minutes and allow to cool.
3- Notice the green, red or yellow ppt obtained
Identification of tannins:
1. Take 1g of powder in 10ml water +shake and filter
2. Drops of FeCl3 ……. Dark green color.

9
Cinchona Bark
Botanical origin:- dried bark of Cinchona succirubra.
Family:- Rubiaceae
Plant properties:-
 Perennial trees
 The dried bark curved ridges, greenish gray to brown.
5- Alkaloids (quinine, quinidine, cinchonine)
Uses of cinchona barks:-
6- Quinine used as anti-malarial.
7- Quinidine used as anti-arrhythmic
4- Cork (8).
5- Single fiber (1).
6- Cork and phelloderm in sectional view (5).
7- Parenchyma cells containing starch granules and brown pigment (3).

10
 Florescence test of quinine in cinchona:
1- 1g of cinchona bark is moistened with 2 drops of 25% NH3 then 5ml of
chloroform is add and heated on water bath with shaking for 5min. then
filtered.
2- The filtered is then evaporated to dryness in beaker then dissolved by 1
ml methanol.
3- After that , add 1ml of dil.H2SO4 and notice the blue florescence under
U.V lamp.

11
Roots
Liquorice (Sweet roots)
Botanical origin:- dried roots of glycyrrhiza glabra.
Plant properties:-
 Perennial small trees.
 Fruit form legume.
 External surface of the roots are brown or reddish-brown.
 The inner surface is yellowish-brown.
 Weak aromatic odor.
 Sweet taste.
1- Glycosides – saponin group: Glycyrrhizin 50 time sweeter than sucrose.
2- Flavonoids: liquiritin & isoliquiritin.
3- Proteins.
4- Sugar (glucose, sucrose).

12
Uses of liquorice:-
1- Expectorant.
2- Anti-histaminic.
3- Falvoring agent for Aloe, Quinine and Chocolates.
4- Anti-inflammatory activity (used in peptic ulcer, seborrhea and mucous
membrane ulcer.
5- Demulcent.
6- Soft drink.
1- Sclerenchymal fibers (c).
2- Reticular vessels (d).
3- Cortical parenchyma (f).
4- Fragments from the pith with crystal cell layer (b).
 Chemical test of liquorice:
1- Liquorice powder + drops of water + drops of KOH…… reddish brown
color.
2- Liquorice powder + drops of 60% H2SO4…… yellow color.
3- Liquorice powder + water + shaking…… persistent frothing.
*Glycyrrhizin increase fluids and sodium retention and decrease potassium, so
a person with cardiac problem or hypertension must avoid liqourice.

13
Rhubarb roots
Botanical origin:- dried roots and rhizomes of Rheum officinales.
Family:- Polygonaceae
Plant properties:-
 Perennial trees with large roots and rhizomes.
 Odorless.
 Pale brown or brown color.
 Astringent and bitter taste.
Anthraquinone free state
1. Emodine anthraquinone and Aloe emodin anthraquinone.
2. Rhein anthraquinone and Rhein anthrone.
3. Chrysophanole anthraquinone.
Tannins
1. Gallic acid (pseudo tannins).
2. Glucogallin (true hydrolysable tannins).

14
Uses of rhubarb rhizomes:-
1. In small dose used for stomachic, anti-diarrheal, astringent and
haemostatic.
2. In large dose used as purgative.
1. Calcium oxalate druses (a).
2. Pitted reticular vessels (c).
3. Elongated or rounded – polygonal , thin wall parenchyma cells (d).
Chemical test for anthraquinone:-
Brontrager's test: powder + water + KOH give intensive red color.
*Why rhubarb rhizomes have anti-diarrheal activity in small dose while they
are purgative in large dose?

15
Rhizomes
Ginger rhizome
Botanical origin:- dried rhizomes of Zingiber officinales.
Family:- Zingiberaceae
Plant properties:-
 Perennial herbaceous plant with large leaves.
 Aromatic odor.
 Pale brown or brown color.
 Pungent taste.
Active constitutes:-
1. Volatile oil 3% (zingiberene, zingiberol, zingiberenol, zingerone).
2. Starch 50%
3. Protein
4. Sugar (glucose, sucrose).
5. Resins (oleo-resin).

16
Uses of ginger rhizomes:-
1. Carminative.
2. Condiment.
3. Flavoring agent.
4. Cause anorexia.
5. Popular drink.
6. Throat problem (voice loss).
Microscopical examination:-
1. Starch granules (e).
2. Scalar form vessels (a).
3. Sclerenchymal fibers (b).
4. Parenchyma & oleo-resin cell (d).

17
Turmeric rhizome
Botanical origin:- dried rhizomes of Curcuma longa.
Family:- Zingiberaceae
Plant properties:-
1. Annual plant.
2. Yellow to orange rhizome.
3. Bitter test.
4. Aromatic odor.
1. Curcuminoid : curcumin, demethoxycurcumin and
bisdemethoxycurcuomin.
2. Volatile oil : tumerone, atlantone, and zingiberene.
Uses of turmeric rhizome:-
1. Liver problem.
2. Digestive disorder.
3. Treatment of skin diseases.
4. Wound healing.
5. Atherosclerosis.
6. Bacterial infection.
7. Anti-inflammatory.

18
1. Cork in surface view (1).
2. Starch granules (3).
3. Fragment of spirally thickened vessels (5).
4. Epidermis in surface view (9).

19
Unorganized Drugs
Arabic gum
Botanical origin:- dried gummy exudation from the stem and the branches of
Acacia sensgal or Acacia seyal.
Complex mixture of glycoprotein and polysaccharides.
Uses of acacia gum:-
The mixture of glycoprotein and polysaccharides give it the glue properties and
binding properties which make it edible by human.
Viscosity increasing agent.
 Chemical test:-
1. Gum powder + I2 soln. ……... yellowish brown color.
2. 2ml of gum aqueous soln. (which obtained from boiling 1g of gum with
5ml of water for 5min. over water bath) + 2ml of lead acetate ……
flocculated white color.

20
Tragacanth gum
Botanical origin:- is a natural gum obtained from the dried sap of Astragalus
brachycalyx.
Family: Legumivosae
1. Water-soluble and is termed as tragacanthin 30-40%.
2. Water-insoluble and termed as bassorin 60-70%.
*Both are in soluble in alcohol.
Uses of tragacanth gum:
1. The gum is used in vegetable-tanned leather working as an edge slicking
and burnishing compound.
2. The alkaloid it contain has historically been used as an herbal remedy for
such condition as cough and diarrhea.
3. As a mucilage or paste, it has been used as a topical treatment for burns.
4. It is used in pharmaceuticals and foods as an emulsifier, thickener and
stabilizer.
 Chemical test:
1. An aqueous solution of tragacanth on boiling with conc.HCl does not
develop a red color.
2. Solution of tragacanth boiled with few drops of FeCl3, it produce a
deep yellow ppt.
3. It give heavy ppt. with lead acetate.

21
Olibanum
Botanical origin:- is the oleogumresin obtained from Bosiwella carterii.
Family:- Burseraceae
1. Oil, terpenoids, sugar, boswellic acid and V.O.
2. Its contain more aliphatic octyl acetate, which is responsible for the
strong smell when burning the resin.
Uses of olibanum:-
1. Anti-lipid activity: boswellic acid have been found to reduce serum
cholesterol and triglycerides.
2. Anti-inflammatory activity due to boswellic acid.
3. Skin disease.
4. Part of the process of mummification.
 Chemical test:
1. Take 1g of the powder + 5ml 96% ethanol and shake for 3min.
2. Filter then add to the filtrate 2ml chloroform + 3ml conc.H2SO4.
Notice the formation of reddish brown color.

22
Asafetida
Botanical origin:- it is an oleoresin gum obtained by incision from the
living rhizome and root of Ferula feotida.
Family:- Umbelliferae
1. Resin 40-64%, endogeneous gum 25%, volatile oil 10-17% and ash
1.5-10%.
2. The resin portion is known to contain asaresinotannols A and B,
ferulic acid, umbeliferone and four unidentified compound.
Uses of asafetida:-
1. In India used for flatulence and constipation.
2. Flavor and aroma.
3. Other traditional use is as repelling of devil spirits.
 Chemical test:
1. Take 1g of powder + 10ml dil. HCl (in beaker).
2. Boil and filter.
3. Let the filtrate drops fall in test tube containing NH4OH.
4. Notice the blue florescence of the filter under 365nm U.V lamp.

Student report Practical pharmacognosy2
Name: ……………………………...... Group no.: ………..
PH: Othman Ahmed O.
Key elements Chemical test
Drawing Description Test Result

Practical Pharmacognosy

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