Pharmacognostic and Phytochemical evaluation of fruit pulp of Tamarindus Indica linn.

Tamarind is fruit of plant which is botanically known as a Tamarindus indica Linn., belonging to Caesalpinaceae subfamily of Fabaceae. In Ayurveda, Tamarind (Amlika) is used to treat Arsha (piles), Gulma (abdominal lump), Yakshma (tuberculosis) etc., which indicates it high medicinal value traditionally. Pharmacognostical standardization of fruit pulp of Tamarindus indica is necessary as it is highly potent commercially. Pharmacognostical study is the preliminary step in the standardization of crude drugs. The present study established macro and microscopic characteristics, physicochemical values, and phytochemical screening of fruit pulp of Tamarindus indica. Microscopy showed presence of thin-walled elongated to polygonal paranchymatous cells, long fibro-vascular bundles, starch granules, thin walled fibers and numerous prismatic crystals of calcium oxalate. Physicochemical analysis revealed loss on drying 16.8% w/w, total ash content 4.7% w/w, Acid insoluble ash 10.6% w/w, water soluble extractive 83.6% w/w and alcohol soluble extractive 67.8% w/w. Phytoconstituents like carbohydrates, alkaloids, amino acids, phenols and glycosides were found present in aqueous and methanolic extracts of pulp. These parameters may serve as standard data for quality control studies of pharmaceutical preparations made from the fruit pulp of T. indica.