PHARMACOGNOSY TO KNOW | NUX VOMICA || JJRx PharmD

PHARMACOGNOSY TO KNOW

NUX VOMICA 

 

SYNONYMS

Semen strychni, Nux vomica seed, Poison nut, Quaker’s button, Crow fig, Bachelor’ buttons, Dog buttons, Vomit nut, Semen strychnos.

BIOLOGICAL SOURCE

Dried ripe seeds of Strychnos nux vomica belonging to family Loganiaceae.

GEOGRAPHICAL SOURCE

Found in South India, Malabar Coast, Kerala, Bengal, Eastern ghats, North America, Sri Lanka.

CULTIVATION & COLLECTION 

• Soil : Loamy & Clay soil rich in organic matter.
• Propagation : Seeds
• Month of Propagation : May-June
• Climate : Tropical and Subtropical climate.
• Yielding : Flowering happens after 3 years during month of August and fruits ripen during Nov- Feb.
• Month of harvesting : Nov-Feb.
• Collection : fruits are plucked after it starts falling on ground. Seeds are taken out.

PACKING & STORAGE CONDITIONS

Seeds are dried on mats in sun and separated according to size and packed in gunny bags or sacks. Should be kept in dry and clean place. 

PLANT DESCRIPTION

• Plant type : Small tree about 10-13 m in height.

FRUIT DESCRIPTION

• Size : 3-5 cm in diameter
• Color : Yellowish brown orange 
• Shape : Sub-spherical
• Type : Berries
• No of seeds : 2-5 

MACROSCOPY OF SEED

• Color : Greenish grey
• Odour : Odourless
• Taste : Extremely bitter
• Shape : Flattened disc shape
• Size : 10-30 mm in diameter, 3-6 mm thick
• Texture : Silky
• Margin : Round

MICROSCOPY OF TRANSVERSE SECTION OF SEED

T.S shows a Hairy Testa and a Bulky Endosperm.

Testa : thick; comprised of Hairy Epidermis & Collapsed Parenchyma.

   i. Epidermis : 

            form an Appressed Trichomes (characteristic, lignified, large) ; 10 longitudinal ridges;  trichomes gives silky texture; composed of a single layer of thick walled cells; shows small pits(bases of trichomes).

     ii. Collapsed parenchyma : 

                double layer of flattered parenchymatous cells 

Endosperm: composed of thick walled nonlignified cellulosic isodiametric parenchymatous cells; outer layers of cells appears like palisade; inner cells are larger; cell walls - composed of hemicelluloses.

 i. Plasmodesmata : 

              very fine protoplasmic strands between the walls of endospermic cell (to communicate via the cells walls)

   ii. Aleurone grains : contain fixed oils; globoids are present; are of irregular shapes.

   iii. Oil globules : contain fixed oil as small droplets; Strychnine- inner part; Brucine- outer layers  

POWDER MICROSCOPIC CHARACTERS OF SEED

 i. Endospermic cells : seen as fragments or whole; cells from outer region- small, thin walled, polygonal & slightly elongated.

                                

ii. Trichomes : seen as fragments or whole; appear as narrow, lignified, aggregated rods running longitudinally; cylindrical, some have broad base, small pits.

                                                   

iii. Testa : epidermis of testa- sclerenchymatous; seen as single row of yellowish brown cells.

CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS OF SEED

Major : 

• Strychnine - 1.25 %
• Brucine - 1.5 %

Minor : 

• Glucoside Loganin
• Fatty matter - 3 %
• Caffeo tannic acid
• Traces of Copper

CHEMICAL TESTS TO FIND CONSTITUENTS

To the section of endosperm :-

i. Strychnine test : 

             Ammonium vanadate + Sulphuric acid

      Result: Strychnine in the middle portion of endosperm

                  is stained purple.

 

ii. Potassium dichromate test :

             Potassium dichromate + conc. Sulphuric acid

       Result : Strychnine gives violet colour

iii. Brucine test : 

             Conc. nitric acid

      Result : Outer part of endosperm is stained yellow to

           orange 

 iv. Hemicellulose test :

             Iodine + Sulphuric acid

       Result : Cell walls are stained blue

USES

• Respiratory stimulant in poisoning
• Strychnine - CNS stimulant 
• Brucine - Alcohol denaturant 

SUBSTITUTES & ADULTERANTS

The common adulterants of Nux vomica : Strychnine potatorum & Strychnine nux blanda. 

Strychnine potatorum commonly known as clearing nut which do not contain alkaloids, even in small amount and also it is not bitter.