Pharmacognostical and Pharmaceutical Exploration of the traditional medicine Ipomoea carnea Jacq.

Abstract

Background: Ipomoea carnea Jacq is an ethnopharmacological drug and its leaves, roots and latex are used for various indications by traditional healers. But seeds are not used in the treatment as they are more toxic. As the herbal medicines are becoming endangered, ethnopharmacological drug can be used efficiently as they are available abundantly. But the toxicity should be reduced for safer use in the treatment.  Aim: Seeds of Ipomoea carnea Jacq are studied in the present study to observe the macroscopic, microscopic, physicochemical and phytochemical changes in seeds after detoxification in different media. Methods and Materials: Detoxification method described in Ayurveda was used. Ipomoea carnea seeds were subjected to boiling for three hours with Cow’s milk. The same procedure was followed for another sample separately with Cow urine, sour gruel, Triphala (Emblica officinalis, Terminalia chebula and Terminalia bellirica) decoction and Distilled water as media. One raw sample was kept for comparison. The transverse section of the raw seed was studied. Microscopy of powder, physicochemical and phytochemical analysis of all the six samples was conducted and the observations were compared among all the samples. Results: The toxic principle Swainsonine was estimated as 3% in all the samples at retention time 3 minutes. The numbers of peaks were reduced in all the treated samples except DWSIC in comparison with raw sample and 2-4 peaks are observed at retention time 1-3 minutes in all treated samples. A new phytoamine having concentration 12% was detected at retention time 17 minutes in all (crude and purified) samples. Conclusion: The morpho-anatomical characteristics of the seed remain same even after being treated with different liquid media. The changes observed in HPLC may be due to antagonist and antidotal action of media used for detoxification.