Histochemical Studies Of Cochlospermum Religiosum (l) Alston

Traditional medicines are prepared from a single plant or combination of plants. Histochemical studies are helpful in drug adulteration and biosystematics arrangement. The present study deals with the location or identification of phytochemicals like tannins, polyphenols, crystals and starch grains in various regions of leaf, stem and stembark of Cochlospermum religiosum by using different chemicals or reagents (FeCl3, Iodine solution, Toluidine blue reagent and HCl). The results showed that the bluish black, purple or blue, bluish green and dark black colour indicates the presence of tannins, starch grains, polyphenols and crystals in various regions like epidermis, endodermis, midrib, cortex and vascular bundle of leaf, stem and stembark of Cochlospermum religiosum. These observations could be of immense value in the botanical identification and standardization of crude drug.