COMPARATIVE POWDER MICROSCOPICAL SCREENING OF THE RHIZOME AND LEAF OF ALPINIA CALCARATA AND ALPINIA GALANGA

The therapeutic use of herbal medicine has gained considerable momentum in the world during the past decade. Hence, Quality control standards for various medicinal plants used in indigenous systems of medicine are becoming more necessary. Adulteration and misidentification of medicinal plants can cause serious health problems to consumers and pose legal problems for pharmaceutical firms. So, the aim of this investigation was to establish a simple and efficient protocol to determine possible drug adulteration by use of similar plants. Powder microscopy can help the correct identification and establish standardization of plant drugs. The present study has revealed an easy way to identify Alpinia calcarata and Alpinia galanga microscopically and thus it can also be employed to detect the degree of adulteration in powdered raw medicinal plant materials as well. Likewise, microscopical detection is easy, reliable and cost effective tool for detection of adulteration in medicinal plants.Alpinia calcarata Rosc. and Alpinia galanga Linn. of Zingiberaceae popularly known also as Lesser galangal and greater galangal, have a widespread occurrence in India, Malaysia, Bangladesh and China. Drug prepared by using rhizomes of Alpinia calcarata are used in the treatment of rheumatism, bronchial catarrah and asthma. It is used against infection of the skin and also possesses antibacterial activity. It is also used to stimulate digestion, purify blood, prevent bad breath, improve voice and also to treat inflammation and arthritis. Rhizomes of Alpinia galanga are used to treat various kinds of diseases including diabetes, cancer, kidney diseases, vata, bronchitis and diseases of heart.