quassia wood

pharmacognostic study of quassia wood

1. QUASSIA WOOD G. Kavya 2 nd pharm.D

2. QUASSIA WOOD Synonyms Biological source Geographical sources Cultivation and collection Macroscopic features Microscopic features(powder and T.S) Chemical constituents contraindications Uses

3. Synonym : lignum quassiae , Jamaica wood Biological source: Dired wood of the stem of aeschrion excelsa ( picroena excelsa or picrasma excelsa )belongs to family- sumarubaceae Geographical source: Tree of quassia which grow to a height up to 30meters is native of caribbian islands mainly jamaicca , Barbadus and martineque .

4. Cultivation and collection The wood is obtained from the main trunk and other branches. After cutting tree ;bark is removed and the wood of trunk and branches are cut in to small chips , rasping and logs. It is immediately dried to prevent form growth of mould . Naturally the wood is while in color ;but slowly turns yellow to drying.

5. MACROSCOPY Shape : Rasping ; shaving or chips are planoconcave/concave ORGANOLEPITIC CHARACTERS: Color : pale yellow to bright yellow Odor : none Taste : very bitter EXTRA FEATURES: wood is straight grained; diffused and porous sometime black marking due to presence od mould and dark grey cork *False annual rings are present breaking esaily longitudinally.

6. Transverse section Vessels : Big, occurring in large numbers either single or in groups of few of times vessels occupy the entire regions between two consecutive medullary rays. Wood fibers : form the bulk of wood; thick walled pitted are arranged in radial row. 3. Wood parenchyma : small polygonal with uniformly thickend pitted walls, some cell of wood parenchyma contains prism of calcium oxalates and few starch grains.

7. Tangential longitudinal section Vessels wide and elongated showing minute boarded pitted. Wood fibers in groups ; long tapering with small oblique boarded pits Wood parenchyma elongated and have pitted walls; calcium oxalate prisms are clearly seen. 4. Medullary rays are cut transversely of height (11-13cells) and width (1-3 cells)

8. Radial longitudinal section Vessel wide and elongated showing minute boarded pits Wood fibers ;long and tapering with small ;oblique boarded pits Wood parenchyma elongated and have pitted walls calcium oxalate prisms are clearly seen 4. Medullary rays in groups; crossing the fibres and vessels of the right angles and height of medullary rays cannot be counted

9. Powder microscopy Wood elements : abundant fragments of xylem fibers crossing at right angle the medullary rays cells and there with numerous pitted thickings . Medullary rays : very prominent in tangential longotidinal view their height can be measured 3. Calcium oxalate : present in the form of prism in the cells of wood parenchyma but vary rare

10. Chemical constituents principles of terpenoids Nature – Quassian , pricamin , neoquassin , isoquassin CONTRAINDICATED In pregnancy and lactation USES Bitter tonic Anti – helmintic Treat diarrhea , fever , lice It also have anti tumour and antifungal agent.

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