Pharmacognosy Evaluation of Belladona Herb

1. Topic : BELLADONNA HERB
Mr. ASHOK KUMAR CHHILLAR
Assistant Prof.
Jagannath University NCR, Haryana

2. SNYNONYMS : Belladonna Leaf , Belladonna Herb,
Belladonna Folium Sag-angur Patti (Hindi)
BIOLOGICAL SOURCE : It consist dried leaf and sub
arial part of the plant Atropa belladonna Linn.
FAMIL
Y : Solanaceae
GEOGRAPHICAL SOURCE : It is indigenous and
cultivated in England and other Europian contries .
In India it is found in the Western Himalayasfrom
simla to kasmir and the some area of Himanchal
Pradesh .

4.  Cultivation of belladonna at an altitude of 1400 m
from sea level is found to be satisfactory.
 Belladonna barries are crushed to get the sea for
cultivation .
 Proper processing like washing and sieving is
performed .
 Onlu healthy seed are used for cultivation .
 Seeds are sown by broadcasting method in well
prepared beds with the application of fungicide like
diathon.
 Sowing is done in may and july.

5.  The seedling are ready for transplantation by the end
of September.
 Fertilizers like urea, potash and suparphosphate are
given as per needs
 Insacticidalsprays like sevin are tried when the
plants reaches maturity.
 The leaves and as well as the flowering tops are cut
& sundried .
 During drying is taken to retain the green colour .
 The yield per hectare is found to be 200 to 600kg.

6. Macroscopic Charcterers:
COLOUR : LEAVES – Green to brownish green.
FLOWERS – Purple to yellowish brown.
FRUITS – Green to brown.
ODOUR : Slight and characteristics.
TASTE : Bitter and acrid
SIZE : LEAVES – 5 to 25cm long & 2.5 to 12cm wide.
FLOWERS – Corolla 2.5cm long & 1.5cm wide.
FRUITS –About 10cm in diameter .
SHAPE : LEAVES – Ovate , lanceolate .
FlOWERS – Campanulare and small reflexed lobes.
FRUITS – Sub-globular in shape.

8. The T. S. Belladonna Leaf is shows-
 Dorsiventral leaf
 Collenchyma above & below the mid rib
 Unicellular covering trichomes and unicellular
glandular trichomes
 Micrisphanoidal calcium oxalate crystals
 The palisade ratio is 5 to 7.

10.  The total alkaloidal content of drug is 0.4 to 1%&
varies in different part of plant roots (0.6), stems
(0.05), leaves (0.4), unripe and ripe berries (0.19-
0.21), and seeds(0.33%).
 The main alkaloids are 1-hyoscyamine and its
racrmic form atropine.
 Drug also contains belladinine, scopoletin, hyoscine,
pyridine & N-methyl pyrroline.
 The later two are the volatile bases.
 Acid insoluble ash: not more than 3%.

12.  Belladonna is used as a sadative, to stop bronchial spasms
in asthma and whooping cough, and as a cold and fever.
 It is also used for parkinsin’s diease, (brain disorderthat
couses gradual loss of muscle control.) and as a painkillar.
 Cerebral sedative (reduce excitement)
 Antimuscarinic effect (acts peripherally to produce
parasympathetic inhibition).
 It is also used in Neuralgia, Rheumatism, sciatica (leg oain
coused back bonr pushing on sciatic nerve)
 Exessive sweating (hyperhidrosis)
 Reduce the- salivary secretion and alimentary canal secretion
 Root is use for external preparation
Adulterants: Leaves of Phytolacca decandra L. and Scopolia
carniolica.