POWDER MICROSCOPIC STUDIES OF THE FRUITS OF TRIBULUS TERRESTRIS LINN COLLECTED FROM DIFFERENT GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATIONS OF SOUTH INDIA–A COMPARATIVE STDY

Objective: The aim of present study includes the collection of Tribulus terrestris fruit samples from three geographical locations of south India. Whose powder microscopical characters were assessed by the comparative study by using standard pharmacognostic methods prescribed in standard reference books to ensure quality and identity of all three fruit samples.Methods: Collected fruit samples were shade dried and pulverised to get the coarse powder. Fruit powder has taken on a micro slide and treated with various colouring reagents to give colour to various tissues by following standard pharmacognostic methods prescribed in reference books. The slide was mounted by adding glycerine and observed under the microscope.Results: The fruits consist of five triangular cocci which develop from the penta carpellary syncarpous ovary. Each coccus has two long sharp and two short spines. All fruits showed significant variation in the diameter, radial length of the coccus and length of the spines. The tomentum in fruit sample 3 is less when compared with fruit samples 1 and 2. The entire growth period in all geographical regions, the basic characters of cell inclusions like thick-walled parenchyma cells, epidermal, sclerenchymatous, prismatic calcium oxalate crystals and type of cells like sclereids (fibre sclereids and brachy sclereids), trichomes (short, long and thick-walled trichomes) and their pattern of arrangement are almost same.Conclusion: Three geographically different fruit samples showed variation in the quantity of cell inclusions and size of sclereids, trichomes and wall thickness of parenchymatous, epidermal and sclerenchymatous cells. All three fruit samples showed significant variation in morphological characters. Powder microscopic observation can be employed to detect the source of adulteration in powdered raw medicinal plant materials.