Pharmacognostic and Phytochemical Evaluation of Dolichos lablab Linn. (Fabaceae)

Dolichos lablab (FABACEAE) is a much - branched extensive twiner, with trifolidate leaves and tap - root stock. Flowers: bisexual, papilionaceous, with petals get differentiated into standard, wings and keels. The pods are flat and curved, with persistent style. The seeds are flat and ellipsoid measuring 2cm long, with poor in amino acid contents. (Muthu et. al, 2006) The seeds possess astringent diuretic and tonic properties. The decoction of seeds is used in diarrhea, hemorrhage from bowels, and is given to females during parturition to promote discharge of the lochia. As a home remedy kulthi has been used in dysuria, bleeding piles, vaginal bleeding and leucorrhoea. In dysuria, it works due to its diuretic property. It is also used to reduce crystalluria and to lyse stones. The powdered seeds are used as a poultice to induce sweating. (Garimella et. al., 2001; Yazra, 2009)

Materials : • Formalin • Acetic acid • Ethyl alcohol • Chloral hydrate • Toludine blue • Glycerin

• HCI

• Phloroglucinol • Seeds of Dolichos lablab • Safranin

• Macroscopic analysis: The shape, size, surface characters, texture, colour, odour, taste etc. were noted. • Microscopic analysis: Transverse section of seed passing through midrib region of fresh one were taken and fixed in formalin. The sections were stained in safranin and mounted in glycerine. • Phytochemical screening: Preliminary phytochemical screening was carried out to find out the presence of various phytoconstituents using standard procedures.

In its macroscopic study, the seeds are roughly trapezoidal and flattish, with quite thin cotyledons. The hylum is small and linear which gets located in In microscopic study, it should that the epidermal layer of testa exhibits brown, shining due to presence of mucilage. Endosperm forms the bulk part of seed and are made up of parenchyma. The alueron forms the outer part which is protein in nature. The embryo provides nutrition and occupies the mid portion of seed between two cotyledons. (Gyana Prakash, 2003; Singh R. et. al. 2012). The physiochemical analysis : The physical constants such as total cash value, loss on drying and soluble extractive values determined (Table 1, 2, 3).

Adulteration of medicinal plants can cause serious health problems to consumers and legal problems for the pharmaceutical industries. The initial step in quality control of medicinal plants is ensuring the authenticity of the desired species for the intended use. It can be conducted via a variety of techniques namely macro and microscopic identification as well particularly important to find out the presence or absence of foreign inorganic matter such as metallic salts. The preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the useful information about the chemical nature of the drugs which showed the presence of carbohydrate, glycosides, saponins and tannin in this plant of study.

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