Pharmacognostical Study of Hedychium Spicatum (Ham-Ex-Smith) Rhizome

Hedychium spicatum (Ham-ex-smith) belongs to family zingiberaceae, is a perennial rhizomatous herb. It grows throughout subtropical Himalaya in the Indian state of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand with in an altitudinal range of 1000 to 3000 m. It is tall stout herb with fleshy rhizomes, thick straight stem with broadly lanceolate leaves. H. spicatum rhizome is mentioned as shati in Ayurvedic classics and has been used in various dosage forms to treat cough, wound ulcer, fever, respiratory problems and hiccough. The rhizomes have a strong aromatic odour and bitter taste. The rhizome extract has been reported to contain essential oil, starch, resins, organic acids, glycosides, albumen and saccharides, which has been advocated for blood purification and treatments of bronchitis, indigestion, eye disease and inflammations. The rhizome has been reported to contain sitosterol and its glucosides, furanoid diterpene-hedychenone, 7hydroxyhedychenone and Metoxycinnamate. Essential oil present in rhizome has cineole, terpinene, limonene, phellandrene, p-cymene, linalool and terpeneol as major constituents[1]. The rhizome has been reported to possess anti-inflammatory, antiasthmatic, hypoglycaemic, vasodialator, spasmolytic, hypotensive, in vitro pediculicidal, cytotoxic and antimicrobial properties[2]. Authenticity, purity and assay are the three major attributes for standardization and quality control[3]. Hence, in the present work we made an attempt for the standardization of H. Spicatum rhizome by carrying out its pharmacognostic evaluation.