This document describes the lycopodium spore method for determining the number of starch grains in a sample. Lycopodium spores from the club moss plant are used because they are uniform in size, shape, and moisture content. A weighed sample of the material being analyzed is mixed with a weighed amount of lycopodium spores, suspended in oil or another agent, and viewed under a microscope. The number of starch grains can then be determined by comparing to the known number of lycopodium spores visible.

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2. Lycopodium spores are obtained from club moss, Lycopodium clavatum
Linn., belonging to family Lycopodiaceae. The spores are yellow in colour,
spheroidol, tetrahedral in shape with reticulate surface. They have uniform
average diameter of 25 microns. One milligram contains average 94000
spores. They have uniform moisture content, hence the weight remains the
same. This is the reason, why these spores are used to evaluate powdered
drugs by comparison. The spores are also resistant to pressure.
Balance
Watch glass
Small flexible spatula
Microscope with mechanical stage or a counting square
Suspending agent: Fixed oil or suspending agent; glycerine: tragacanth
mucilage: water (2:1:2). This keeps the spores and particles in a suspension.
Dilution of the suspension should give about 10 to 20 spores in a field.
Determine the loss on drying for the powder at 105 C. Mix a weighed
amount of air-dry powder of the drug and a weighed amount of lycopodium
spores in a small watch glass (100 mg drug and 50 mg lycopodium spores).
Mix with a small flexible spatula. Add oil or suspending agent. Mix for 10
min till a smooth paste is obtained.
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Determination of number of starch grains by lycopodium spore method... https://labmonk.com/determination-of-number-of-starch-grains-by-lyc...
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3. Determination of number of starch grains by lycopodium spore method... https://labmonk.com/determination-of-number-of-starch-grains-by-lyc...
3 of 3 16-01-2020, 16:00