EVALUATION OF PHARMACOGNOSTICAL AND PHYTOCHEMICAL STUDIES ON DIOSCOREA OPPOSITIFOLIA L. (DIOSCOREACEAE) TUBERS

Standardization problems arise from the complex composition of drugs which are used in the form of whole plant, parts of the plants, plant extracts. Standardization of presumed active compounds of drug is general does not reflect reality, only in few cases drug activity depends upon single component. Pharmacognostic investigation was carried out on the Dioscorea oppsitifolia tubers. The assignment such as macroscopy, anatomical studies and preliminary phytochemical screening were performed since the species was not noted for its pharmacognosy in part. Macroscopic studies is a technique of qualitative evaluation based on the study of morphological and sensory profiles of Dioscorea oppsitifolia tubers. Microscopic studies is a technique of qualitative evaluation and used to confirm the structural details of drugs from the Dioscorea oppsitifolia tubers and also study of the constituents by application of chemical methods. The perusal of literature also revealed that no pharmacognostic work had been carried out on the plant of Dioscorea oppsitifolia tubers. For this reason we have investigated the pharmacognostic profiles of Dioscorea oppsitifolia tubers