Catharanthus roseus, commonly known as bright eyes, Cape periwinkle, graveyard plant, Madagascar periwinkle, old maid, pink periwinkle, rose periwinkle, is a perennial species of flowering plant in the family Apocynaceae. It is native and endemic to Madagascar, but grown elsewhere as an ornamental and medicinal plant. The tropical plant Catharanthus roseus (L) G. Don is one of the most studied plants because it is considered as a medicinal plant. C. roseus synthesize terpene indole alkaloids (TIA) with high medicinal and economical value such as ajmalicine, catharanthine, vindoline, vinblastine and vincristine, the last are considered anti-tumor agents.

1. MONOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS OF CATHARANTHUS
ROSEUS
Mr. Vaibhav Namdev
MS Research Scholar (Pharmaceutics)
National Institute of pharmaceutical education and research Hajipur

2. TABLE OF CONTENTS
◦ INTRODUCTION
◦ MORPHOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION
◦ MICROSCOPIC CHARACTERISTIC
◦ STANDARDS FOR IDENTITY AND PURITY
◦ PHYTOCHEMICAL PROFILE
◦ PHYTOCHEMICAL QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS
◦ THIN LAYER CHROMATOGRAPHIC PROFILE
◦ REFERENCES
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3. Catharanthus Roseus ( Vinca)
“Periwinkle” or Catharanthus
roseus (L.) G. Don (Family
Apocyanaceae), commonly known
as “Nayantara” or “Sadabahar”, is
an erect bushy perennial herb and
evergreen shrub.
This plant is grown commercially
for its medicinal uses in Australia,
Africa, India and Southern Europe.
It favourably grows in light sandy
soil, rich in humus.
(Srinivasa A et al 2013)
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4. Scientific classification
Botanical Name(s): Vinca Rosea (Catharanthus roseus)
Family Name: Apocynaceae
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta (Flowering plants)
Class: Magnoliopsida (Dicotyledons)
Order: Gentianales
Family: Apocynaceae
Genus: Catharanthus
Species: C. roseus
( Dubey A et al 2020 )
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5. Morphological Description
It is an herbaceous plant or an evergreen subshrub
growing to 32 in 80 cm high.
Leaves: Oval leaves (1-2in long) decussate, petiolate;
lamina variable, elliptic, obovate or narrowly obviate;
apex mucronate.
Flowers: 4-5 cm, classy, white or pink, with a purple,
red, pale yellow or white centre Follicle 1.2-3.8 × 0.2-
0.3 cm, susceptible on the axial side. Seeds 1-2 mm,
are numerous and grooved on one side. Climate, soil
and propagation.
Root: Sare pale grey in colour.
Fruits: Follicals with numerous black seeds.
( Dubey A et al 2020 )
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6. Microscopic characteristics
◦ Vinca has
dorsiventral leaf
structure.
◦ Epidermis is a
single layer of
rectangular cells
covered with
thick cuticle.
◦ It consists of uni-
cellular covering
tricomes and
cruciferous
stomata.
( Shah B et al Pharmacognosy
and phytochemistry 1st ed 2010)
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7. Microscopic characteristics
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Goswami S ISSN 2320-3471

8. Microscopic characteristics
◦ In the mesophyll region single layer of elongated and closely
packed palisade parenchyma cells are present just below the
upper epidermis.
◦ In the midrib region two to three layers of collenchyma is
present, both below the upper epidermis and above the lower
epidermis.
◦ Vascular bundle consisting of xylem and phloem is present in
the middle of midrib region and rest of the intercellular space is
covered by five to eight layers of spongy parenchyma.
◦ Calcium oxalate crystals are absent.
( Shah B et al Pharmacognosy and phytochemistry 1st ed 2010)
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9. Standards for identity and purity
Extractive Yield
This method determines the amount of active constituents extracted with
solvents from a given amount
of medicinal plant material.
(WHO guidelines, 1998)
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EXTRACTION METHOD VALUE % W/W
Petroleum ether Hot Percolation 0.3 %
Acetone Hot Percolation 1.2 %
Chloroform Hot Percolation 1.05 %
Ethanol Hot Percolation 3.45 %
Aqueous Cold Maceration 2.1 %
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10. Standards for identity and purity
Ash Value
The Ash remaining following ignition of medicinal plant materials is determined
by three different methods.
(A) Total Ash – Designed to measure the total amount of material remaining
after ignition.This includes both “Physiological Ash” which is derived from the
plant tissue itself and “NonPhysiological Ash”, which is the residue of the
extraneous matter (eg. Sand and soil) adhering to the plant surface.
(B) Acid Insoluble Ash – Residue obtained after boiling the total ash with dilute
hydrochloric acid and igniting the remaining insoluble matter.
This measures amount of silica present, specially as sand and siliceous earth.
(WHO guidelines, 1998)
(C) ) Water Soluble Ash – Difference in weight between the total ash and the
residue after treatment of total ash with water.
(WHO guidelines, 1998)
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11. Standards for identity and purity
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PARAMETER VALUE
TOTAL ASH 0.4 % W/W
ACID INSOLUBLE ASH 0.68 % W/W
WATER INSOLUBLE 1.68 % W/W
SULPHATED ASH 4.12 % W/W
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12. Standards for identity and purity
PHYSIO - CHEMICAL CONSTANTS
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PARAMETERS VALUE
SOLUBILITY
1.WATER SOLUBLR EXTRACT
2. ALCOHOL SOLUBLE EXTRACT
6.34 % W/W
4.8 % W/W
MOISTURE CONTENT 10.09 % W/W
LOSS ON DRYING 5.01 % W/W
FOAMING INDEX 0.9 CM HEIGHT
SWELLING INDEX 0.8 gm
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13. Phytochemical profile of Catharanthus
Roseus
Alkaloids are the most pharmacologically active chemical constituents of
Catharanthus roseus.
There are following chemical constituents of vinca as follows
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(Vishwakartma R 2020)

14. Phytochemical profile of Catharanthus
Roseus
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Chemical Class Phytoconstituent Plant Part
Alkaloids Vincristine Leaf
Alkaloids Vinblastine Leaf, stem
Alkaloids Vindesine Leaf , stem
Alkaloids Actino Plastidemeric Arial parts
Alkaloids Vindeline tubersonine Arial parts
Alkaloids Ajmalicine Roots
Hadagali A et al 2017

15. Phytochemical profile of Catharanthus
Roseus
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Chemical Class Phytoconstituent Plant Part
Alkaloids Vinceine Basal stem
Alkaloids Vincamine Roots
Alkaloids Raubasin Roots
Alkaloids Reserpine Roots
Alkaloids Catharanthine Basal Stem
Anthocyanin Pigment Rosindin flowers
Hadagali A et al 2017

16. Phytochemical Qualitative Analysis
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Constituent Test Indication
Alkaloids Dragendorff’s Test
Sample + 2M Hcl + ! mL
of drafendorff’s reagent (
Potassium bismuth iodine
solutions )
Orange Red Precipitate
Alkaloids Wagner Test
Sample + Add Hcl 1
Drop ( 1.5 % V/V) + few
drops of wagner reagents (
Iodine potassium iodide
solutions )
Reddish Brown
Precipitates
( Garg P et al 2018 ) (Mishra P. et al 2014)

17. Phytochemical Qualitative Analysis
17
Constituent Test Indication
Alkaloids Mayer’s Test
Extracts Sample + 2 to 3
drops of Mayer reagent (
Potassium mercuric iodine
solution )
Dull white precipitate
Alkaloids Picric acid test
3 mL of extract sample + 2 to
3 Drops of hager reagent ( 1
gm of picric acid in 1000 ml
of water )
Yellow precipitate
(Hadgali A et al 2017)

18. Thin layer chromatography evaluation
Thin layer chromatography (TLC) is an affinity-based method used to separate
compounds in a mixture.
◦ The retention factor (Rf) is used to measure the movement of compounds
along the TLC plate.
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Parameters
Sample Aerial part of Catharanthus roseous
(powder)
Stationary phase Silica gel plates 60 F 254
Solvent System Ethyl acetate,benzene methanol with 25%
ammonia
Spraying agent Cerium ammonium sulphate
Activation time 30 minutes , 100° Celsius
(Nompumelelo et al 2012)

19. Thin layer chromatography evaluation
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Constituent Retention Factor ( Rf ) Colour Reaction with
CAS reagent ( After
heat activation )
Vincristine 0.44 Pink / purplish
Vinblastine 0.63 Purple
Vindoline 0.81 Purple/ Bluish Black
Ajmalicine 0.91 Blackish green
( Shah B et al Pharmacognosy and phytochemistry 1st ed 2010) (Nompumelelo et al 2012)

20. References
◦ Lina N et al “ Optimized thin layer chromatographic method for screening
pharmaceutically valuable alkaloids of Catharanthus roseus ( Madagascar
Periwinkle) “ Department of biotechnology and food technology, Durban
university of technology South Africa 2012.
◦ Hadagali A et al “ Isolation and detection of vinca alkaloids from
endophytes isolated from Catharanthus Roseus, Department of
biotechnology BMS collage of engineering bangalore 2017.
◦ Shah B. & Seth Ak “ textbook of pharmacognosy & Phytochemistry “ 1st
edition 2010 , Elsevier.
◦ Goswami S “ Preliminary phytochemical screening and standardisation of
leaves of Catharanthus Roseus (L.) G. Don, Department of pharmacy, ITM
Gorakhpur UP, India.
◦ Vishwakarma R “ A herbal drug of vinca : used as a anticancer agent,
Department of pharmacy , prasad institute of technology jaunpur (U.P.)
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