PHARMACOGNOSTICAL AND PHYTOCHEMICAL STUDIES OF ZINGIBER ZERUMBET ( L . ) SM . RHIZOME Rout

Zingiber zerumbet (L.) Sm. is a well known medicinal plant employed to cure various diseases. The Current study provides a detailed summary of pharmacognostical and phytochemical characters of rhizome to give clear standards for identification of the drug. The study revealed the presence of the oil cells in cortex and central cylinder region containing yellow to orange coloured oleo-resin is the main characteristic feature. The presence of globose, ovoid and irregularly rounded starch grains are the distinguishing features and can be used as anatomical markers. Rhizome powder showed some of the characteristic features such as starch grains with a distinct hilum situated at narrow end and parenchymatous cells with characteristically wrinkled wall and prismatic crystals. Preliminary phytochemical analysis of the rhizomes revealed the presence of glycosides, sterols, triterpenes, saponins, tannins, carbohydrates, proteins, amino acids and volatile oils. The present study signifies the use of TLC, HPTLC fingerprint profiles for determining the identity, purity of the drug and also for developing standards.