Pharmacognostic investigations on the seeds of Carica papaya L.

Abstract

Carica papaya L. belongs to the family Caricaceae and is commonly known as papaya. All parts of the plant are traditionally used for curing various diseases and disorders. It is a tropical fruit well known for its flavor and nutritional properties. Unripe and ripe fruit of papaya is edible but the seeds are thrown away. Instead, they can be therapeutically used. Natural drugs are prone to adulteration and substitution; to prevent it, it is always essential to lay down quality control and standardization parameters. Hence, the objectives of the present work were pharmacognostic, physicochemical and phytochemical studies of Carica papaya L. un-ripe and ripe seeds. Macroscopic, microscopic and powder features, phytochemical, physicochemical properties and fluorescence characteristics were determined using standard methods. The seeds were of clavate shape,hilum was of wavytype, margin was smooth, unripe seed was creamiest white in colour while ripe seed was dark black in colour. The microscopic study showed seed was divided into four parts epicarp, mesocarp, testa and endocarp. The epicarp was single layered with thin smooth cuticle layer, polygonal parenchymatous cells. Endocarp consisted of sclerenchyma cells with oil globules, The plasmodesma was yellowish in colour with radially elongated thick walled mucilaginous cells. The endocarp consisted of pitted aleuronic grains, oil globules, crystals of calcium oxalate and dicotyle structure. The un-ripe seed powder showed oil granules, sclerenchyma cells, mesocarp, square calcium oxalate crystals, vittae, etc while ripe seed showed sclerenchyma cells, oil globules, mesocarp, endosperm with aleurone grains, vittae, square calcium oxalate crystal, etc. The parameters evaluated in physicochemical analysis were all within limits. All the extractive values of un-ripe seed were more than that of ripe seed. The crude powder of un-ripe seeds showed presence of alkaloids, phenols and saponins while ripe seed showed presence of alkaloids. The solvent extracts revealed maximum amount of phytoconstituents in aqueous extract than in organic solvent extracts. The parameters evaluated in this study are the diagnostic features of the seeds and can be useful in identifying the genuine drug from adulterated drug.