The present investigation was undertaken to analyze the Pharmacognostical, physicochemical and preliminary phytochemical profile in the leaves and roots of Ipomoea pes-tigridis Linn. with the back ground of Ethnic importance. This plant is used by the tribes of Nellore district as a single drug remedy to treat as Laxative and skin diseases. In the present work the leaf and root part of the plant were subjected to various microscopical and physico- preliminary phyto chemical evaluations. In the microscopical studies, the different cell structures and arrangements were studied. Physicochemical parameters like loss on drying, total ash value, acid insoluble ash, water insoluble ash, various extractive values etc., were carried out. Further, qualitative tests for various functional groups like Triterpenoids, alkaloids, glycosides etc..., were carried out

David, K. Michel

goli, Penchala pratap

Jyothi, B

Prasad, G.P.

Sudarsanam, G.

English

International Journal of Phytomedicine

International Journal of Phytomedicine 3 (2011) 524-539 
http://www.arjournals.org/index.php/ijpm/index 
 
Original Research Article 
           
Ethnopharmacognastical Investigation on Ipomoea pes-tigridis Linn 
G. Penchala Pratap1, G. Sudarsanam1, B.Jyothi2, G.P. Prasad3, K. Michel David4 
 
*Corresponding author: 
 
G.Penchala Pratap 
1Dept. of Botany, 
S.V.University,Tirupati,A .P 
2 Dept.of Botany, S.P.W. Degree & 
P.G.College, Tirupati, A.P 
3Dept.of Ayurveda, NIIMH, 
Osmania Medical Collegee, 
Hyderabad, A.P 
4Government Junior College 
Gudur, Kurnool (Dst.) A.P 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
A B S T R A C T  
The present investigation was undertaken to analyze the Pharmacognostical, 
physicochemical and preliminary phytochemical profile in the leaves and roots 
of Ipomoea pes-tigridis Linn. with the back ground of Ethnic importance. This 
plant is used by the tribes of Nellore district as a single drug remedy to treat as 
Laxative and skin diseases. In the present work the leaf and root part of the 
plant were subjected to various microscopical and physico- preliminary phyto 
chemical evaluations. In the microscopical studies, the different cell structures 
and arrangements were studied. Physicochemical parameters like loss on 
drying, total ash value, acid insoluble ash, water insoluble ash, various 
extractive values etc., were carried out. Further, qualitative tests for various 
functional groups like Triterpenoids, alkaloids, glycosides etc..., were carried 
out.  
Keywords: Ipomoea pes-tigridis Linn Macro-, microscopical characters of root, 
stem, leaf, macerate, physical constants studies. 
 
Introduction 
Ethnobotany is a science that reveals the relationship 
of man with his surrounding flora. Pharmacognasy 
means "knowledge of drugs" (pharmakon = drug, 
gnosis = knowledge). It includes the study of the 
physical, chemical, biochemical and biological 
properties of drugs, drug substances or potential drugs 
or drug substances of natural origin but not synthetic 
drugs. So broadly Ethnopharmacognasy means study 
of the relationship of man with his surrounding flora 
and study of the physical, chemical, biochemical and 
biological properties of crude drugs of plant and animal 
origin.  These two sciences are the age old sources for 
several medicinal systems like Ayurveda, Sidda and 
Unani. One of the important and difficult problems 
encountered in all Traditional systems is the use of 
several different botanical species under the same 
drug name. Further these are claimed to posses’ 
similar therapeutic efficacy and used by the physicians 
as the same drug. Such drugs are today termed as 
controversial drugs. In such cases pharmacognastical 
studies help to identify the genuine plant used, which 
prevent adulteration of drugs by using standardization 
and microscopical methods. The plant Ipomoea pes-
tigridis Linn.  is distributed More or less throughout 
India, Ceylon, Malaya, China, Polynesia, tropical 
Africa(Kirtikar &Bassu).The plant has good medicinal 
value. The root of this plant is used  as a Perfect 
Laxative and leaves are used to heal Sores and Boils 
by the tribes of Nellore district in Andhra Pradesh of 
India. Many literatures expose the same medicinal 
values.(K. M. Nadkarni: Kirtikar &Bassu;K 
Madhavachetty.). The plant has resemblance with 
Merremia aegyptia (L.) Urb. belongs to 
Convolvulaceae Family. For this identification of the 
plant with macroscopical characters  is too hard  and 
also for the pharmacognostical standardization it is 
new one. With this back ground present work was 
taken.  
 
Taxonomy of the plant 
ISSN: 0975-0185 
 
  
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.  
 Pratap et al. International Journal of Phytomedicine 3 (2011) 524-539 
 
525 
 
Ipomoea pes-tigridis Linn Stems twining, clothed with 
long spreading hairs. Leaves 3.8-10 cm. diam., 
rotundate in outline, usually more or less deeply 
palmately 5-9-lobed, sometimes 3-lobed or 
occasionally entire; lobes ovate, acute or acuminate, 
narrowed at the base, hirsute on both surfaces; 
petioles 3.8.7.5 cm. long, hairy. Flowers sessile, 3 or 
more in a head; peduncles 2.5-7.5 cm. long, very hairy; 
outer bracts nearly 2.5 cm. long, the inner about 1 cm. 
long, all ovate-oblong, subobtuse, very hairy. Sepals 
8.13 mm. long, densely hairy and ciliate -with long stiff 
hairs, the 2 outer sepals broadeT than the inner, ovate-
lanceolate, the 3 inner linear-oblong, acute. Corolla 
about 2.5 cm. long, tubular.campanulate, white or pale 
pink. Capsules 5 mm. diam., globose, glabrous, 
papery, concealed in the calyx. Seeds grey- 
pubescent. 
 
Materials And Methods  
Fresh leaves and roots of Ipomoea pes-tigridis Linn 
were collected from the Tribes of Nellore 
district. Identification and confirmation were done by D
epartment of Botany Sri venkateswara University. The 
voucher herbarium specimen was processed followed 
by standard procedure6. Microscopical and 
microscopical studies were carried out.7- 
 
 
 
Fig:1 Ipomoea pes-tigridis Linn. 
 Pratap et al. International Journal of Phytomedicine 3 (2011) 524-539 
 
526 
 
 
Fig.2:Macroscopical characters of Ipomoea pes-tigridis Linn (Root). 
 
 
 
Fig 3:T.S. of the root 10xX10x. 
Legends: Co: Cortex; Xy: Xylem; Ph: Phloem. 
Xy   
Co 
Ph  
 Pratap et al. International Journal of Phytomedicine 3 (2011) 524-539 
 
527 
 
 
Fig4:T.s. of the root enlarged showing cork and cortex region.10xX40x. 
Legends: Ep:Epidermis; Cr:Crystals; Ph:Phloem; Mr: Medullary rays. 
 
 
 
Fig5:T.s. of the root enlarged showing cork, cortex with abundant calcium oxalate crystals. 10xX40x. 
 
Cr  
Xy  
Ep 
M r    
Ph 
Crystals  
 Pratap et al. International Journal of Phytomedicine 3 (2011) 524-539 
 
528 
 
Results 
Macro and Microscopical Characters of Root 
Macroscopical Characters: Fairly thick, 6 mm 
thickness, tap root is long, lateral roots are very 
slender, hairy(Fig:2), bitter, no specific odour. 
 
Root  -   Microscopy  
T.s of the root is circular in outline with well developed 
3-4 layered cork, where cells are narrow and 
compressed, suberised, some of the cells shows 
abundant clustered calcium oxalate crystals(Fig:3&4). 
Cortex is also narrow 3-5 layered filled with abundant 
calcium oxalate crystals(Fig:5). Phloem cells thin 
walled and xylem well developed with large vessels 
traversed with uni to biseriate medullary rays(Fig:4&6). 
Near the phloem region also abundant calcium oxalate 
crystals are present(Fig:9). Some of the cortex region 
shows simple rounded starch grains(Fig:8). Cortex 
region cells are thin walled and compactly arranged.  
Central region of the root shows thin walled 
parenchymatous cells(Fig:7). 
 
Diagnostic characters  
1) Presence of abundant calcium oxalate crystals 
in the cork and cortex region.  
2). Presence of simple starch grains in the cortex 
region.    
 
Powder microscopy of Root powder Ipomoea pes-
tigridis Linn. 
Root  powder  light  brown in colour (fig:11.1), coarse 
to touch, smell agreeable, tastes slightly sour to bitter , 
with abundant fibers,  when treated with chloral 
hydrate solution and water following fragments of 
different tissues were observed under the microscope.  
1. Fragments of abundant crystal fibers. 
(Fig:11.4) 
2. Fragments of xylem vessels with intervascular 
pitting. (Fig:11.10)   
3. Fragments of thinwalled parenchymatous 
cells. (Fig:11.7) 
4. Fragments of Abundant tracheids, narrow with 
simple pits. (Fig:11.8) 
5. Fragments of epidermal cells.  
6. Fragments of helical to spiral vessels. 
7. Fragments of thinwalled parenchyma cells.   
8. Fragments of abundant, thinwalled elongated 
parenchyma cells. 
9. Fragments of parenchyma cells with reddish 
tannin contents. (Fig:11.12) 
10. Parenchyma cells with clustered calcium 
oxalate crystals and prism crystals.  
11. Abundant prism shaped crystals. (Fig:11.14) 
12. Abundant fibers with simple pits. 
 
 
 
 
Fig6:Stelar region enlarged showing xylem and phloem region.10xX40x. 
 
Xylem vessels   
 Phloem   
 Pratap et al. International Journal of Phytomedicine 3 (2011) 524-539 
 
529 
 
 
Fig7:T.s of the root showing central portion and  stelar region 10xX10x. 
 
 
Fig8:T.s of the root showing  starch grains in the parenchymatous region 10xX10x. 
 
 
Fig9:T.s of the root showing   abundant calcium oxalate crystals near the stelar region 10xX10x. 
Starch grains  
Crystals   
 Pratap et al. International Journal of Phytomedicine 3 (2011) 524-539 
 
530 
 
 
Fig10:Xylem vessels with reticulate thickenings. 10x X 40 x. 
 
  
Macroscopy  ---Root  powder Fig:11.1 Different fragments of tissues 10xX40x Fig:11.2 
  
 Xylem vessel 10xX40x Fig:11.3 Crystal fibers 10xX40x Fig:11.4 
  
  Tracheids 10xX40x Fig:11.5 Abundant fibers 10xX40x Fig:11.6 
 Pratap et al. International Journal of Phytomedicine 3 (2011) 524-539 
 
531 
 
 
 
Parenchyma cells with cell contents 10xX40x 
Fig:11.7 
 
 Tracheid 10xX40x Fig:11.8 
  
 Fragments of xylem vessels. 10xX40x Fig:11.9 Xylem vessel with intervascular pittings.  10xX40x 
Fig:11.10 
 
  
  Parenchyma cells and fibers 10xX40x Fig:11.11  Parenchyma cells 10xX40x Fig:11.12 
 
 Pratap et al. International Journal of Phytomedicine 3 (2011) 524-539 
 
532 
 
  
Parenchyma cells with reddish contents. 10xX40x 
Fig:11.13 
 
Crystal fibers 10xX40x Fig:11.14 
Fig11:Powder microscopy of Root powder Ipomoea pes-tigridis Linn. 
 
   
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Fig12:T.s of the leaf showing laminar region, vascular bundle, upper and lower epidermis10xX10x.  
Legends:  
Ue:Upper Epidermis;    Co:Collenchyma;  
Pa:Parenchyma;    Ph:Phloem; 
Xy:Xylem;     Cs:Centrally ‘c’ shaped vascular bundle is present with intraxylary phloem; 
 Le: Lower Epidermis;    P.P: Presence of 2 layered palisade tissue in the midrib region. 
 
 
 
 
  
Pa 
Xy 
Ph 
LE 
C s 
 Pratap et al. International Journal of Phytomedicine 3 (2011) 524-539 
 
533 
 
 
Fig13:Centrally ‘c’ shaped vascular bundle is present with intraxylary phloem. 
Legends: Ph:Phloem; Xy:Xylem.10xX40x. 
 
Diagnostic characters  
1. Presence of  abundant  prism shaped and 
clustered type of crystals. (Fig:11.14) 
2. Presence of abundant  parenchymatous cells 
with reddish tannin contents. (Fig:11.12) 
3. Presence of  helical to spiral thickenings of 
xylem vessels.  
4. Presence of  abundant crystal fibers. (Fig:11.4) 
5. Presence of abundant tracheids. 
6. Presence of xylem vessel with intervascular 
pittings. (Fig:11.10) 
 
Table—1 Behaviour of the drug powder with different 
Chemical reagents (Root). 
Treatment  Colour observations  
Powder +Distilled water  Light brown    
Powder+5%Aqueous Fecl3 Black colour.    
Powder+Glacial acetic acid No change  
Powder+5% HNO3 No change  
Powder+N/10 Iodine Solution Brown colour  
Powder+ConHCL Dark brown 
Powder+ConH2SO4 Black 
Powder+Ammonia solution  Light  brown   
Powder+5%Aqueous Naoh Light brown.   
Powder+5%Aqueous KOH 
Solution.  
Dark   brown   
 
Macro and Microscopical Characters of Leaf 
Macroscopical characters:  
Leaves surface rough, hairy, hairs are prominent on the 
upper surface of the leaf, rough. Measure cms in length and 
cms breadth. 
 
Microscopical Characters: 
T.S of the leaf dorsiventral in structure, both upper and 
lower epidermis are well developed with irregular cells, 
covered by thick cuticle and shows elongated, uniseriate 
trichomes on both epidermis. Upper epidermis is followed 
by 3 to 4 layered Collenchymatous cells in the form of 
notch, followed by 2 layered palisade tissue, which 
continues up to the laminar region, which is of diagnostic 
character. Palisade tissue is followed by 1-2 layered thin 
walled parenchymatous region. Centrally ‘c’ shaped 
vascular bundle is present with intraxylary phloem. Xylem is 
surrounded by phloem on both sides. Phloem cells are thin 
walled. Towards the lower region, Collenchymatous cells 
are 2 to 4 layered, parenchymatous cells are 2 to 5 layered, 
filled with clustered calcium oxalate crystals. T.S through 
laminar region shows 2 layered palisade tissue and loosely 
arranged 1 to2 layered spongy tissue. Small veins are 
reperesented by vascular bundle with xylem and phloem. 
Both the epidermis shows elongated unicellular, uniseriate 
trichomes. Stomata are present on both sides, but in lower 
region stomata are more.  
 
Diagnostic Characters: 
1. Presence of intraxylary phloem. 
2. Presence of 2 layered palisade tissue in the midrib 
region which is of diagnostic character.  
Ph 
Xy 
Ph 
 
 Pratap et al. International Journal of Phytomedicine 3 (2011) 524-539 
 
534 
 
 
Fig14:T.S of Petiole. 10xX40x 
 
 
 
 
Fig15:T.S. of leaf with short glandular trichome in the adaxial. 10Xx40X 
Legends: Pa: Palisade tissue; Un:Unicellular, uniseriate trichomes; Sp: Sponge parenchyma. 
Unicellular,  
uniseriate 
 trichomes  
un  
Pa 
Sp 
 Pratap et al. International Journal of Phytomedicine 3 (2011) 524-539 
 
535 
 
            
Fig16:Anomocytic stomata 10Xx10X            Fig17:Epidermal cells with abundant crystals. 10Xx40X 
 
 
 
Fig18:Trichomes and veins lets. 
 
 
 
Fig19:Veins with spiral elements 10Xx40X 
 Pratap et al. International Journal of Phytomedicine 3 (2011) 524-539 
 
536 
 
  
Macroscopy----Leaf powder. Fig:20.1 
 
 
 
Different fragments of tissues 10xX10x Fig:20.2 
  
F ibers10xX40x Fig:20.3 
 
 
 
Fibers,trichomes and crystals. 10xX40x Fig:20.4 
  
Collenchymatous cells10xX40x Fig:20.5 
 
Epidermal cells surface view. 10xX40x Fig:20.6 
 Pratap et al. International Journal of Phytomedicine 3 (2011) 524-539 
 
537 
 
 
 
Abundant Trichomes. 10xX40x Fig:20.7 
 
 
Crystal and fibers. 10xX40x Fig:20.8 
  
Abundant crystals and Parenchymatous cells. 
10xX40x Fig:20.9 
F ibers10xX40x Fig:20.10 
Fig20: Powder microscopy of  Leaf  powder. 
 
 
Powder microscopy of  Leaf  powder  Ipomoea 
pes-tigridis Linn.  
Green in colour, coarse to touch, smell agreeable, 
tastes slightly sweetish, when treated with chloral 
hydrate solution and water following fragments of 
different tissues were observed under the microscope.  
1. Fragments of  abundant elongated   unicellular  
trichomes. 
2. Fragments of. Elongated and long  abundant 
trichome with stomata  
3. Fragments of thinwalled parenchymatous 
cells.  
4. Fragments of thinwalled  epidermal cells.   
5. Fragments of  thinwalled epidermal cells with 
clustered crystals.  
6. Fragments of  epidermal cells with simple 
trichomes.  
7. Fragments of rounded thinwalled 
parenchymatous cells.  
8. Fragments of   abundant elongated fibers in 
groups.  
9. Fragments of  collenchymatous cells. 
10. Presence of Anomocytic stomata. 
 
 
 
 Pratap et al. International Journal of Phytomedicine 3 (2011) 524-539 
 
538 
 
Diagnostic characters  
1) Presence of abundant elongated trichomes. 
(Fig:20.7) 
2) Presence of Clustered type of calcium oxalate 
crystals abundantly.(Fig:17)  
3) Presence of abundant fibers ( Fig:20.10) 
 
  Table----2-—Behaviour of the drug powder with 
different Chemical reagents    (Leaf)  
Treatment 
Colour 
observations 
Powder +Distilled water  Light Green   
Powder+5%Aqueous Fecl3 No change   
Powder+Glacial acetic acid No change  
Powder+5% HNO3 No change  
Powder+N/10 Iodine Solution Blue colour  
Powder+ConHCL Light Green 
Powder+ConH2SO4 Black 
Powder+Ammonia solution  Light  green   
Powder+5%Aqueous Naoh Light green.   
Powder+5%Aqueous  KOH 
Solution.  
Light  Green   
 
Physico-chemical details 
Physical constants: The physical constant determined 
by standard methods 9-10. 
The results are given in table-4 
 
Table-4:Physical Constants 
PHYSICOCHEMICAL PARAMETRES (% W/W) 
Name of Test. Root Leaf 
Total ash 7.9 8.1 
Acid insoluble ash 1.54 1.1 
Water soluble ash 2.75 2.1 
Water insoluble ash 4.8 5.1 
Moisture content (LOD) 
at 110 C 
12.11 15.14 
Preliminary phytochemical tests revealed the presence 
of  Alkaloids, Glycosides,  Flavonoids, Saponins, Tannins,  
Carbohydratesand Proteins given in (Table -6).  
 
Table 6: Preliminary Phytochemical screening .  
S.No Chemical test Root Leaf 
1 Flavanoids 
Lead acetate test 
+ + 
2 Glycosides 
Legal  test 
- + 
3 Steroids 
 Leibermann buchard test 
_ _ 
4 Alkaloids 
a)Dragendroffs test 
+ + 
5 Saponins 
Foam test 
+ + 
6 Carbohydrates 
a)Molishcs test 
+ + 
7 Proteins 
Biuret test 
+ _ 
8 Tannins 
Ferric chloride test 
+ + 
 
Discussion and Conclusion:- 
Ipomoea pes-tigridis Linn. is one of the important drug 
used as Laxative and in the treatment of Skin 
diseases. This plant has resemblance with Merremia 
aegyptia (L.) Urb. For the identification it is hard. With 
this study the plant was authentically identified. In this 
paper the macro, and microscopical characters of the 
root, stem and leaf along with the physico-chemical 
and Preliminary phytochemical analysis are presented. 
The parameters of present study can be used as a 
reference for further scientific investigations.  
  
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Ethnopharmacognastical   investigation on Ipomoea pes-tigridis Linn.

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Ethnopharmacognastical investigation on Ipomoea pes-tigridis Linn.

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