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International Journal of Recent Scientific Research

Vol. 4, Issue, 9, pp.1378- 1380, September, 2013

International Journal
of Recent Scientific
Research

ISSN: 0976-3031

RESEARCH ARTICLE
ROLE OF MICROSCOPIC PARAMETERS IN ESTABLISHING BOTANICAL IDENTITY OF THE
HERB GENDARUSSA VULGARIS NEES (ACANTHACEAE) USED AS A POTENTIAL DRUG
Subhashini, S. And Poonguzhali, T. V.
PG and Research Department of Botany, Queen Marys College, Chennai 600 004.
ARTICLE INFO

ABSTRACT

Article History:

Justicia gendarussa Burm. f. of the family Acanthaceae, is known as Karunochi in Tamil as per
the botanical literature (Henry et al; 1987). The valid name of this taxon is said to be Gendarussa
vulgaris Nees, the previous name is synonym. As per the pharmacological literature G.vulgaris
Nees is attributed medicinal properties such as refrifuge, emetic, emmanegogue, diaphoretic,
breathing internal haemorrhage, oedamia, beriberi and rheumatism. (Yoganarasimhan, 2000).
The regional floras provide the morphological features for identification the plant. When the
plant samples are in fragmentary condition, it poses difficulty in identification of the herbal. So
one has to opt for microscopic parameters of various parts of the plant. The present study
provides detailed description of anatomical structure of both aerial and underground organs of G.
vulgaris Nees supplemented with these photomicrographs at different magnifications studies of
the herbal drugs may help for botanical diagnosis and to overcome the menae of adulteration and
substitution of the drugs.

Received 10th, August, 2013

Received in revised form 25th, August, 2013
Accepted 18th, September, 2013
Published online 30th September, 2013

Key words:
Justicia gendarussa Burm. f., Gendarussa
vulgaris Nees, Acanthaceae, Anatomical
parameters, botanical diagnosis

Copy Right, IJRSR, 2013, Academic Journals. All rights reserved.

INTRODUCTION

Observation

Gendarussa vulgaris Nees (= Justicia gendarussa Burm. f.) of

Acanthaceae (Synonym: Justicia gendarussa Burm. f.) is
popularly known as Karunochi in Tamil as per the most of the
local Floras (Gamble, 1921; Mathew, 1983; Henry et al; 1987).
The Tamil equalant for this plant seems to be controversial.
However G. vulgaris is credited with many medicinal properties
both in Indian systems of medicine as well as folklore claims. In
many taxonomic books, the external features provided for
identification of this herb is present. But microscopic parameters
are not available to supplement the morphological features and to
diagnose the botanical identity of fragmentary samples of the
plant. With a view to fill up the lacuna in the botanical studies and
throw lighter an anatomical diagnostic features of G. vulgaris
Nees, the present study was attempted.

Morphological Overview of the Plant: The plant is a shrub, with

cylindrical stem, oblong lanceolate leaves, spike type of
inflorescence, lanceolate bracts; two lipped corolla, white with
purple lines; stamens 4, 2 celled ovaries, fruit loculicidal capsule,
seeds orbicular, spinulose. (Fig.1)

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Microscopic features

G. vulgaris Nees is grown as fence plant or an ornamental plant.

The specimens for the present study were procured from the Plant
Anatomy Research Center, Tambaram. Leaf, stem, root and
flowers were cut and removed from healthy plants. The specimens
were trimmed in proper plane and fixed in FAA, dehydrated with
TBA (Tertiary Butyl Alcohol) series and infiltrated with paraffin
wax (58-600 C melting point) and cast into blocks for rotary
microtome sectioning. The entire procedure is as per the methods
givenly Sass, 1940. Serial sections of 10m thickness were
prepared; after dewaxing, the section were stained with Toluidine
blue O (OBrien et al; 1964). Photomicrographs of the sections
were prepared using Nikon microscope and Nikon digital camera.

Leaf: Leaf is distinctly dorsiventral; midrib consists of adaxial

semicircular hump, and abaxial hemispherical part and bowl
shaped collateral vascular bundles. (Fig. 2, 3)

Fig.1

* Corresponding author: Subhashini, S., E-mail: subhaa83@gmail.com, pooqmc@gmail.com

PG and Research Department of Botany, Queen Marys College, Chennai 600 004.

Fig.2

International Journal of Recent Scientific Research, Vol. 4, Issue, 9, pp. 1378- 1380, September, 2013

Fig.3

Fig.9

Lamina: Lamina is heteromorphic and dorsiventral. Adaxial

epidermis is thick with prominent cuticle; mesophyll is tissue
differentiated into adaxial thick zone of palisade cells and abaxial
loosely arranged spongy parenchyma. Some of the epidermal cells
are modified into wide lithocysts, possessing cylindrical
cystoliths. (Fig. 4, 5)

Venation: Venation is densely reticulate; vein islets are wide and

polygonal. Vein terminations are dendroid. (Fig. 10, 11, 12)

Fig.10

Fig.4

Fig.11

Fig.5

Stomata and Trichome: Adaxial epidermis is apostomatic (Fig.

6). Abaxial epidermis bears diacytic stomata (Fig.7). Peltate type
glandular trichomes are common on the lamina. (Fig.8, 9)
Fig.12
Petiole: Proximal petiole is semicircular with abaxial depression.
Distal petiole is semicircular with short lateral wings. Vascular
strand bowl shaped and collateral. (Fig. 13, 14)

Fig.6

Fig.13

Fig.7

Fig.14

Fig.8

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International Journal of Recent Scientific Research, Vol. 4, Issue, 9, pp. 1378- 1380, September, 2013
Stem: Stem is circular in sectional view. Cortex is heterogeneous.
Vascular cylinder is hollow and collateral. Pith is wide and
parenchymatous. (Fig. 15, 16, 17)

.
Fig.15

DISCUSSION
Gendarussa vulgaris exhibits certain microscopic characters
common to the member of Acanthaceae. For example, presence of
cylindrical Cystoliths and Diacytic stomata are shared by most of
the members of the family and these features can be employed for
identification of the family.Characters specific to G. vulgaris are
peltate type glandular Trichomes, Aerenchymatous cortex in the
root. Radial distribution of vessels in the xylem cylinder of the
root and bowl shaped vascular bundle of the petiole. It may be
concluded that the findings that of the present studies offer
microscopic protocol for Botanical diagnosis of G. vulgaris. The
protocol will provide indelible clues to anyone who wants check
the genuineness of the plant.

Acknowledgement
The authors would like to thank Prof. P. Jayaraman for providing
laboratory facilities and the authors would also like to thank the
University Grants Commission for funding.

References

Fig.16

1.
2.

3.
Fig.17

4.

Root: Periderm is thin and superficial; cortex is aerenchymatous:

vascular cylinder consists of several radial files of vessels with
sclerenchymatous ground tissue. (Fig. 18, 19)

5.

6.

7.
8.

.
Fig.18

Fig.19

*******

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