Fluorescence analysis and extractive values of some ethno-medicinal plants of the Western Ghats of India

Objectives: The present study was carried out to assess the quality of five medicinal herbs procured from the Western Ghat region of India.Rhizomes of L., heartwood of DC., Materials and methods:Curcuma longa Berberis aristata stems of L., whole dried plant of L., and seeds of W. Glycirrhiza glabraSolanum indicum Holarrhena antidysenterica were procured from the Western Ghats of India.The procured drugs were washed thoroughly and dried.Upon complete drying, the drugs were powdered and tested for aqueous and ethanolic extractive values.Fine powders of individual drugs were treated with different reagents as prescribed by standard methods and observed under UV light (shortwave (wavelength 254 nm) and long wave (365 nm)) and fluorescent (visible) tube to observe for colour changes.The ethanolic and aqueous extractive values were found to be within the API standards.The Results: colouration under shortwave, longwave and visible light varies from green to brown under the treatment of different reagents and the observations have been presented here.The present study concluded that the procured Conclusions: herbal raw drugs were of reliable quality.The data also suggests that tests for extractive values and fluorescence analysis are inexpensive and reliable parameters to assess the quality of herbal raw drugs.