Abstract

PHARMACOGNOSTICAL STANDARDISATION OF EULOPHIA NUDA LINDL.

Chachad, D. P.* and Jagdale, S. P.

Abstract

Plants, animals and minerals are used in medicines by man since prehistoric times. The plants belonging to family Orchidaceae are known to have various medicinal values. They are considered to be a herbal aphrodisiac and to have therapeutic values, ranging from aiding digestion and preventing headaches to counteracting poisons and bites. As Orchidaceae members have short life span and flowers perish soon, it is all the more difficult to confirm the identity of the plant. This may be one of the reasons for plant drugs to get adulterated. Eulophia nuda Lindl is said to have aphrodisiac properties and is used as substitute to actual ‘salampanja’ – Orchis latifolia due to unavailability of later drug in plains. Due to all these reasons the drug needs standardization parameters like macroscopic characters; microscopic details, physicochemical constants like ash values, extractive values, fluorescence analysis etc. which are unavailable or the said drug.

Keywords: Eulophia nuda Lindl; Orchis latifolia; pharmacognosy; herbal aphrodisiac.