Roots

Medicinal herbs as potential source of therapeutics have marked a crucial role in health system globally for both humans and animals. These are not only beneficial in the diseased condition but also used as potential material for maintaining proper health. The present study highlights the pharmacognostic studies on roots like powder microscopy and anthelmintic activity of different extracts on Indian adult earthworms. Different concentrations (50-150 mg/ml) of plant extract were tested in this study. Albendazole (20 mg/ml) was used as reference standard drug whereas CMC as control. Determination of paralysis time and death time of the worms were recorded. Extract exhibited significant vermicide activity in dose dependent manner. The result shows that methanolic extract possesses anthelmintic activity and found to be effective as an anthelmintic.

Phytochemical investigation of the roots of Ricinus communis L.  (Euphorbiaceae), used to cure  lumbago and toothache, led to the isolation of acyl glycosides characterized as n-octadec-9-enoyl β-D-glucopyranoside (4), n- octadecanoyl-b-D-glucopyranoside (5), n -docosany1-β-D-gluco- pyranoside (6), n-hexadecanoyl β-D-glucuranopyranoside (7) and n-octadecanoyl- β- arabinopyranosyl – (2→1″) – β- arabinopyranoside (9), a trisaccharide β-D-glucuranopyranosyl-(2→1)-β-D-arabinopyranosyl-(2→1) -β-D-arabinopyranoside (8), a tetraglycoside β- D- glucopyranosyl- (2®1)- β - D- arabinopyranosyl-(2®1)-β- D- arabinopyranosyl - (2®1)- β -D-arabinopyranoside (10), a triterpenic glucoside α-amyrin β-D-glucopyranoside (1) and two steroidal glycosides viz., stigmasterol β-L-arabinopyranoside(2) and β-sitosterol β-D-glucopyranoside(3). The structures of all these glycosides, isolated from the roots for the first time,  have been characterized on the basis of spectral data analysis and chemical reactions.