Evaluation Of The Microscopy Study Of Senna Uniflora Plant And Leaf Powder By Foldscope

Abstract

Microscopy is useful for the study of the internal structure, constitution, and inclusions of plant and animal cells or other objects in detail. It is necessary for the detection of adulterants and contaminants of the herbal preparations and thus provides means for assessing the authenticity and quality of herbal drugs. Size, shape, relative position of different cells and tissues as well as the chemical nature of the cell walls, and the form and nature of cell contents are considered during microscopic analysis of crude drugs.Qualitative microscopy includes studies of the transverse sections of leaf, root bark, as well as longitudinal section of root bark under photomicrograph with or without staining. In case of powder microscopy, different staining reagents such as iodine for detection of starch grains and calcium oxalate crystals while phloroglucinol for detection of lignified components are used. Plant sections or powders of the drug are mounted in water or dilute glycerol for light microscopic examination.