A Pharmacognostical Study on Convolvulus prostratus Forssk.

Objective: Development of physico-chemical parameters and estimation of scopoletin, a chemical marker in herb of Convolvulus prostratus Forssk. (Family: Convolvulaceae). Materials and methods: Fresh flowering plants of Convolvulus prostratus, commonly known as Shankhpushpi, were studied for developing quality parameters and HPTLC method for quantification of scopoletin and fingerprinting of C. prostratus using a mobile phase toluene and ether (1:1, saturated with 10% glacial acetic acid) and instrument Camag Linomat IV with Camag TLC scanner. Results: Morphologically, the herb can be distinguished on the basis of hairy nature, sessile leaves, white-pale pink flowers and woody ischolar_mainstalk. Leaves show striated cuticle, rubiaceous and cruciferous stomata, calcium oxalate prisms, and bicollateral vascular bundle. Stem shows unicellular covering trichomes, a discontinuous ring of pericyclic fibres and pitted cells in pith. Root is easily characterized by intra-xylary phloem. Spherical pollen grains and large number of unicellular trichomes are seen in powder of C. prostratus. HPTLC method was developed for determination of scopoletin content by scanning the plates at 366 nm. Conclusions: The histological characters and HPTLC method developed for quantification of scopoletin and fingerprinting of C. prostratus would serve as a useful tool in standardization of C. prostratus.