Abstract

PHARMACOGNOSTICSTUDIES OF EUPHORBIA HIRTA L.

Darshika Acharya and Meenakshi Vaidya*

Abstract

Pharmacognosy is the study of medicinal drugs derived from plants or other natural sources. The American Society of Pharmacognosy defines pharmacognosy as "the study of the physical, chemical, biochemical and biological properties of drugs, drug substances or potential drugs or drug substances of natural origin as well as the search for new drugs from natural sources."A crude drug is any naturally occurring, unrefined substance derived from organic or inorganic sources such as plant, animal, bacteria, organs or whole organisms intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease in humans or other animals.The plant Euphorbia hirta is commonly called as Asthma weed. It belongs to the family Euphorbiaceae. The present study is detailed out to complete the evaluation which included chemical tests, physicochemical parameters like total ash, water soluble ash, acid insoluble ash, extractive values & TLC. The study will provide proper identification of crude drug i.e. Euphorbia hirta plant.

Keywords: Euphorbia hirta, physicochemical parameters total ash, water soluble ash, acid insoluble ash, extractive values, TLC.