COMPARATIVE STUDY ON PHARMACOGNOSTIC AND PHYTOCHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF SEED COAT AND COTYLEDON OF CAJANUS CAJAN L.

Cjanus cajan (L.) Millsp belonging to the family Fabaceae commonly known as pigeonpea or arhar. The present study conducted to assess the   phytochemical and pharmacognostic in terms of organoleptic, fluorescence analysis and physicochemical parameters of seed coat and cotyledon of C. cajan. Differential extraction yielded of seed coat extracts of petether, chloroform, ethanol and aqueous shows 6.3%, 1.14%, 11.36% and 9.32% and cotyledon extracts of pet ether, chloroform, ethanol and aqueous shows 7.34 %, 4.25%, 10.45 % and 8.45 % respectively. Physicochemical parameters such as total ash, acid insoluble ash and water soluble ash of seed coat and cotyledon were found to be 14.5% and 11.5%, 8.35% and 7.36%, 2.11% and 3.39% respectively. Further the mineral elements like zinc, magnesium and copper content were found more in seed coat whereas, maximum content of iron were observed in cotyledon. The fluorescent analyses of powdered drug play an important role in the determination of quality and purity of the drug. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of glycosides, tannins, flavonoids, phenols, lignins, alkaloids, steroids and glycosides in seed coat and cotyledon. The maximum content of phenols, flavonoids, tannins, lignins, alkaloids, steroids were found in seed coat compared to cotyledon, whereas glycosides content was more in cotyledon.  The pharmacognostic study revealed the purity of the sample and helps to differentiate the plant sample from the adulterants.