Pharmacognostic study of a local medicinal plant, pongamia pinnata L

ABSTRACT

Anatomy, macro and microscopic study of powdered drug and chemical tests of powdered drug of Pongamia pinnata L. used as miswak were carried out during 2003-2004 in Department of Botany University of Arid Agriculture Rawalpindi. Pongamia pinnata is a medium sized tree, leaves are alternate, imparipinnately compound, having entire leaf margin and elliptic shape. Stem is hard and woody with spreading branches in dropping manner, flowers are pink, white or creamy gray and showy, fruit is elongated pod and brown in colour. Powdered miswak showed parenchyma cells, fibers, vessels, crystals and oil droplets. Cross section of stem showed the epidermis and cortex, the vascular bundles were present in the form of ring. Powdered miswak was pale green and slightly soluble in sulphuric acid and hydrochloric acid. It retained its original colour in benzene and water in mixture and in hydrochloric acid on filter paper