Belladonna herb

Pharmacognosy Evaluation of Belladona Herb

1. T opic : B ELLADONNA HERB Mr. ASHOK KUMAR CHHILLAR Assistant Prof. Jagannath University NCR, H aryana

2. SNYNONYMS : Belladonna Leaf , Belladonna Herb, Belladonna Folium Sag-angur Patti (Hindi) BIOLOGICAL SOURCE : It consist dried leaf and sub arial part of the plant Atropa belladonna Linn. F AMI L Y : S o lana c e a e GEOGRAPHICAL SOURCE : It is indigenous and cultivated in England and other Europian contries . In India it is found in the Western Himalayasfrom simla to kasmir and the some area of Himanchal Pradesh .

3. Cultivation of belladonna at an altitude of 1400 m from sea level is found to be satisfactory. Belladonna barries are crushed to get the sea for cultivation . Proper processing like washing and sieving is performed . Onlu healthy seed are used for cultivation . Seeds are sown by broadcasting method in well prepared beds with the application of fungicide like diathon. Sowing is done in may and july.

4. The seedling are ready for transplantation by the end of September. Fertilizers like urea, potash and suparphosphate are given as per needs Insacticidalsprays like sevin are tried when the plants reaches maturity. The leaves and as well as the flowering tops are cut & sundried . During drying is taken to retain the green colour . The yield per hectare is found to be 200 to 600kg.

5. Macroscopic Charcterers : COLOUR : LEAVES – Green to brownish green. FLOWERS – Purple to yellowish brown. FRUITS – Green to brown. ODOUR : Slight and characteristics. TASTE : Bitter and acrid SIZE : LEAVES – 5 to 25cm long & 2.5 to 12cm wide. FLOWERS – Corolla 2.5cm long & 1.5cm wide. FRUITS – About 10cm in diameter . SHAPE : LEAVES – Ovate , lanceolate . FlOWERS – Campanulare and small reflexed lobes. FRUITS – Sub-globular in shape.

6. The T. S. Belladonna Leaf is shows- Dorsiventral leaf Collenchyma above & below the mid rib Unicellular covering trichomes and unicellular glandular trichomes Micrisphanoidal calcium oxalate crystals The palisade ratio is 5 to 7.

7. The total alkaloidal content of drug is 0.4 to 1%& varies in different part of plant roots (0.6), stems (0.05), leaves (0.4), unripe and ripe berries (0.19- 0.21), and seeds(0.33%). The main alkaloids are 1-hyoscyamine and its racrmic form atropine. Drug also contains belladinine, scopoletin, hyoscine, pyridine & N-methyl pyrroline. The later two are the volatile bases . Acid insoluble ash: not more than 3%.

8. Belladonna is used as a sadative, to stop bronchial spasms in asthma and whooping cough, and as a cold and fever. It is also used for parkinsin’s diease, (brain disorderthat couses gradual loss of muscle control.) and as a painkillar. Cerebral sedative (reduce excitement) Antimuscarinic effect (acts peripherally to produce parasympathetic inhibition). It is also used in Neuralgia, Rheumatism, sciatica (leg oain coused back bonr pushing on sciatic nerve) Exessive sweating (hyperhidrosis ) Reduce the- salivary secretion and alimentary canal secretion Root is use for external preparation Adulterants: Leaves of Phytolacca decandra L. and Scopolia carniolica .