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Ornamental and Medicinal Plants, 2020, 4(3-4): 4-10
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Botanical pharmacognosy of Cichorium intybus seeds

C.N. Prasanna Kumar, R. Shruthi, R. Kannan, U.V. Babu
R and D Center, The Himalaya Drug Company, Bengaluru 562162, Karnataka, India

Received 4 July 2020;Accepted 26 July 2020;Published 1 December 2020
IAEES

Abstract
Cichorium intybus L., also widely known as chicory or kasni, is a perennial herb, native to Europe, northern parts of Africa, and West and Central Asia. It was introduced elsewhere in temperate and semi-arid regions and is widely naturalized in many places for its roots and seeds. In India it is especially cultivated in Gurgaon (Haryana) and Patan (Gujarat) and the seeds are used in Ayurvedic medicines for various ailments. Though the seeds are used in Ayurvedic medicines and being cultivated on a commercial scale, pharmacognostical characteristic features of the seeds or achenes to authenticate the traded material is limited. Botanical pharmacognostical features such as organoleptic, macroscopic and microscopic characters of the seeds were studied. The seeds are angular, faintly pentagonal with 5 conspicuous and up to 9 inconspicuous ridges. In cross section it shows lignified epicarp, single-layered square-shaped testa, and cotyledons with aleurone grains and oil droplets. This study given detailed morphology and anatomy of the traded seeds for their easy identification and botanical authentication.

Keywords Cichorium intybus ;pharmacognosy;seed;anatomy.

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