<span style="font-size:15.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"" lang="EN-US">Comparative pharmacognostic study of<i> Inula racemosa </i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style:italic">Hook. f. and<i> </i>its adulterant<i> Coffea travancorensis </i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style:italic">Wight & Arn<i>.</i> </span></span></span>

Abstract

<i>Inula racemosa </i>Hook. f. (<span style="mso-bidi-font-style:italic">Asteraceae) is widely used in traditional medicine in India and Tibet as well as in drug industries for its antispasmodic, anti-asthmatic and digestive properties and as veterinary medicine also.<i> </i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style:italic">It is commonly known as <i>pushkaramoola</i>, a stout herb mostly found in western Himalaya up to 2600 m. The great sage Charaka has characterized it as <i>hikka magrahana </i>(stops hiccups) and <i>svasahara </i>(helpful in asthma). <i>Coffea travancorensis</i> Wight & Arn., belonging to the family Rubiaceae is often sold throughout Kerala market under the name <i>Pushkaramulla</i>. People in Kerala use the roots of <i>Pushkaramulla</i> instead of <i>Pushkaramoola</i>, the former is an adulterant. In order to ensure the use of only genuine and uniform material in preparation of herbal formulation, work on standardization was carried out. Macroscopical and microscopical characteristics were worked out to identify the diagnostic features of the plant. Physicochemical and ultra-violet analysis helped in the identification of genuine drug and also contributed towards establishing pharmacopoeial standards.

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