Calumba Root Lecture PDF

## Calumba Root ### Origin - The dried transversely or obliquely sliced root of *Jateorhiza palmata*. ### Family - Menispermaceae. ### Geographical Sources - Indigenous to the forests of Mozambique and East African countries. ### Collection and Preparation #### Type of the Root - Swolle...

## Calumba Root ### Origin - The dried transversely or obliquely sliced root of *Jateorhiza palmata*. ### Family - Menispermaceae. ### Geographical Sources - Indigenous to the forests of Mozambique and East African countries. ### Collection and Preparation #### Type of the Root - Swollen Adventitious root. #### Process 1. The rhizomes with roots are dug up during dry weather. 2. The rhizomes are rejected and the swollen fleshy roots are cut into transverse or oblique slices and dried in shade. ### Macroscopical Characters 1. **Shape:** Irregular, elliptical, or nearly circular slices depressed in the center on both sides. 2. **Size:** 3-8 cm in diameter and 6-12 mm in thickness. 3. **Colour:** Greyish-brown. 4. **Odour:** Distinct. 5. **Taste:** Bitter. ### Diagram - A diagram of a transverse section of the Calumba root is shown. - The diagram shows the following parts: - Cork - Phelloderm - Cambium - Xylem - Medullary Ray - Phloem - Stone Cell ### Microscopical Characters - A transverse section of the root shows the following layers: 1. **Cork:** Formed of several layers of tabular, polygonal thin-walled brown cells. 2. **Phelloderm:** Parenchymatous containing starch granules. Have an eccentric radiate or cleft hilum. In the outer region of the phelloderm, large isolated stone cells are present. - Unevenly thickened - Pitted - Lignified yellow walls - Contain one to six prisms of Calcium oxalate. 3. **Phloem:** Consisting of parenchyma and radial bands of collapsed sieve tissue separated by wide medullary rays. - Parenchyma containing starch granules. - Radial rows of yellowish vessels, reticulate or pitted. - Few fibrous tracheids, which are often irregularly cured and have pitted walls. 4. **Xylem:** Yellow, largely composed of: - Parenchyma containing starch granules. - Radial rows of yellowish vessels, reticulate or pitted thickened. - Few fibrous tracheids which are often irregularly cured and have pitted walls. ### Powder * **Colour:** Yellowish-brown. * **Taste:** It has little odour and a bitter taste. * **Microscopical Character:** 1. Starch granules: Mostly simple, few are compound, with 2 to 3 components. The hilum is eccentric cleft or stellate shape. 2. Large yellow sclereids: Unevenly thickened, yellow, pitted, lignified and containing 1-6 prisms of calcium oxalate. 3. Fragments of cork cells: Thin walled and polygonal in surface view giving a characteristic appearance (camera shaped). 4. Fragments of large vessels: Reticulately thickened or pitted. They have yellow lignified walls. ### Confirmatory Chemical Test 1. With Sulphuric acid (66% V/V). 2. The walls of vessels and sclereids are changed in colour from yellow to green. ### Uses 1. Bitter tonic without astringency and stomachic. 2. It contains no tannin, so prescribed with iron salts. 3. Prescribed in cases of anorexia and flatulent dyspepsia. ### Active Constituents 1. 2-3% isoquinoline alkaloids: Palmatine, calumbamine, and jateorhizine (yellow crystalline alkaloids). 2. Colourless. Crystalline non-alkaloidal furano-diterpenes: Calumbin, palmarin, isocalumbin and jateorin. 3. Mucilage, starch, no tannin.