Standardization of Habbul Aas (Myrtus communis Linn., Fruits)- A Unani drug
Rampratap Meena*, S. Mageswari, D. Ramasamy, P. Meera Devi Sri, Shamsul Arfin, Shamshad Ahmed Khan, Syed Jameeluddin Ahmed and Syed Shakir Jamil
Hippocratic Journal of Unani Medicine
Hippocratic Journal of Unani Medicine January - March 2013, Vol. 8 No. 1, Pages 143-152
सार
Habb-ul-Aas botanically known as Myrtus communis Linn., belongs to family Myrtaceae. The fruit is one of the important single drugs used in Unani System of Medicine. Fruit contains the
wide range of phyto-constituents and therapeutically used in the ailments of diarrhea, dysentery, internal ulceration, rheumatism, bronchitis, cough, palpitation and headache. Present study was aimed to authenticate the fruit of Myrtus communis and to evaluate its scientific standards by employing pharmacognostical, physico-chemical and quality control methods. Microscopic studies show the presence of schizolysigenous oil glands in the surface view of epidermal cells, mesocarpic parenchyma cells, stone cells, druses of calcium oxalate crystals and cotyledonary parenchyma cells. The fruit contains moisture (14.62%), total ash (3.54%), acid in-soluble ash (0.25%) and solubility in alcohol (21.65%) and water (25.56%). TLC studies of chloroform and alcohol extracts show various spots at 254nm, 366nm and visible light (Vanillin – Sulphuric acid reagent). The quality control parameters such as microbial load, heavy metal, aflatoxins and pesticidial residues were not detected from the drug.