PHARMACOGNOSTICAL EVALUATION OF INGREDIENTS OF LAGHU PANCHAMULA - AN AYURVEDIC COMPOUND

Background: Ayurveda classifies some medications for therapeutic purposes under the Mishrakavarga (group of medications) title. Laghu Panchamula is part of Pancha-panchamula. All these plants are having habit of small Kshupa, so it is called as Laghu Panchamula. It contains the roots of five herbs like, Shalaparni (Desmodium gangeticum), Prishnaparni (Uraria picta), Brihati (Solanum indicum), Kantakari (Solanum xanthocarpum) and Gokshura (Tribulus terrestris). Material & Method: Freehand transverse sections of five roots were taken and using required reagents. Sections were observed under the microscope to assess their various microscopic features. Observation & Result: Pharmacognostical characters shows identification characters of plants included in Laghu Panchamula like Crystal of Calcium oxalate like Rosette, Sandy and Prismatic, Starch grains and Tracheids were observed in different roots. Discussion and Conclusion: The microscopic structures which are observed in Laghu Panchamula helps in correct identification of roots of Shalaparni (Desmodium gangeticum), Prishnaparni (Uraria picta), Brihati (Solanum indicum), Kantakari (Solanum xanthocarpum) and Gokshura (Tribulus terrestris).