Pharmacognostical evaluation on roots of Cissus repanda vahl. a folk medicine.

Cissus repanda Vahl. (Syn. C.rosea, Vitis repanda and V. rosea). Family Vitaceae, commonly known as 'Panivel' in Hindi, is a folklore medicinal herb, reputed for the healing properties of its roots and stem. The trible people and Traditional practitioners of Orissa, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and some parts of Karnataka Dist. are found to be prescribing the root powder of this plant in case of bone fractures, cuts, boils and wounds. As yet the roots of plant has not found to be reported and hence the Roots of this plant was investigated thoroughly as per the pharmacopoeial parameters. Physicochemical parameters shows high value of acid insoluble ash indicating high polarity, preliminary phytochemical investigations shows the presence of alkaloid, tannin, mucilage and calcium salts. The microscopic characters of root shows Mucilage, rosette and acicular crystals of calcium oxalate, starch grains, tannin Stealar region shows fibres, scalariform vessels and pitted parenchyma and multiseriate medullary rays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]