ABSTRACT
Tylophora indica [Asclepiadaceae] is very important medicinal plant, used in Indigenous System of Medicine as an antiasthmatic drug. The plant has been used as bronchodilator, emetic, expectorant and diaphoretic. In the present investigation, morphoanatomical, pharmacognostical and physiochemical characteristics of Tylophora indica were studied. In order to ensure the use of only genuine and uniform material of such herbal remedies, work on standardization assumes vital significance. Pharmacognostical study has, therefore been carried out, covering detailed morphological and anatomical characters; features of the powdered drug include response to U.V. light exposure, some physiochemical constants, phytochemical screening and results of TLC. The morphoanatomical characteristics and results of different chemical protocols would serve as standard reference for identification of Tylophora indica. Tylophora indica [Asclepiadaceae], commonly known as Antamool, is a climbing perennial plant indigenous to India, and has a long-standing reputation as a remedy for asthma[1] [hence the name T. asthmatica]. The plant is commonly known as Indian Ipecac. The drug is official in Bengal Pharmacopoeia[2]. Traditionally Tylophora indica has been used in treatment of asthma[3], dermatitis and rheumatism[4]. The plant has been described as bronchodilator, emetic, expectorant and diaphoretic[5] Various Phenenthroindolizidine alkaloids[6,8], Seco-phenenthroindolizidine alkaloids[9], cc-amyrin, quercetin, kaempferol and unidentified flavonoids, mixture of p-sitosterol and stigmasterol have been isolated from the aerial parts of this plant[10]. Due to the medicinal importance of Tylophora indica in Indigenous.System of Medicine, the morpho-anatomic features of the raw material, physiochemical constants, phytochemical screening of the powder and chromatographic characteristics of different extractives are evaluated in this work to provide diagnostic values for its identification