Physico-chemical evaluation and biochemical quantification of crude drug powder (stem) of Chassalia curviflora (Wall. ex Kurz.) Thwaites; A folk medicinal plant

Abstract

The medicinal plants are sources of important therapeutic aids for alleviating human health and improving the quality of life. The present study was undertaken with an objective to investigate the physico-chemical and biochemical analysis of the crude drug powder of the stem of Chassalia curviflora (Wall. ex Kurz.) Thwaites, an ethno-medicinally important plant belonging to coffee family (Rubiaceae). The physico-chemical studies showed foreign content 0.313%, moisture content 11.333 %, total ash content 11.416%, acid soluble ash 56.833%, water soluble ash 15.054 % and alcohol soluble ash 10.595. The result of biochemical contents showed that, the highest value of dry matter was 88.666 ± 0.166%, followed by carbohydrate 63.027 ± 0.023%, crude fibre 14.693 ± 0.170 %, crude protein 13.125 ± 0.004%, total ash 11.416 ± 0.289%, moisture 11.333 ± 0.166% and crude fat 1.099 ± 0.062%.The extractive values of the stem were determined by using different solvents. This information’s are useful for the pharmacognostical evaluation of this plant material.