Evaluation of Pharmacopoeial and Quality Control Standards of Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. Seeds

Abstract

ABSTRACT
The seeds of the plant Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. (Fam: Nymphaeceae) are used against the ailments of poor digestion, enteritis, chronic diarrhea, insomnia and palpitation. In view of its medicinal importance, the present study was conducted to standardize the drug using pharmacognostical, physico-chemical and WHO methods. Microscopical studies show the presence of cotyledonary parenchyma cells filled with starch grains, palisade-like cells and non-lignified thick-walled sclerenchyma cells. TLC of chloroform and alcohol extract using toluene: ethyl acetate solvent system in VS reagent shows 6 and 5 spots respectively. The quality control parameters such as microbial load and heavy metals were found within the permissible limit and other parameters like aflatoxins and pesticidal residues were not detected from the seeds of the drug.
Keywords: Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn., pharmacognostic, TLC