Ancient Science of Life,

Vol No. VI No. 4 April 1987, Pages 238 - 243

PHARMACOGNOSTIC STUDIES ON WAGATEA SPICATA DALZELL

S. R. SURANGE AND S. S. DEOKULE
Department of Botany, University of Poona, Pune 411 007, India.
Received: 2 June 1986
Accepted: 21 September, 1986
ABSTRACT: Wagatea spicata Dalzell, family : Leguminosae (Caesalpiniaceae) known in
vernacular as Vagati or Vakeri, is a montotypic genus of a robust woody, climbing shrub
growing abundantly in Maharashtra State, especially in Konkan jungles and on the Ghats near
Mahabaleshwar. The roots are known to be used in the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis and
pneumonia since long in the Indian system of medicine. The bark is used for skin diseases. The
seeds possess an oil which is sometimes used for lighting purposes. Since the plant is
abundantly used in Indian system of Medicine the authors carried out pharmacognostic studies
on its parts in order to find out adulterations, if any, which is presented here.
INTRODUCTION
Wagatea spicata Dalzell, family :
Leguminosae (Caesalpiniaceae), known in
vernacular as Vagati or Vakeri, is a
monotypic genus of a robust woody,
climbing shrub, with long trailing prickly
branches growing abundantly in Konkan
jungles and on the Ghats near
Mahabaleshwar Cooke, (1958)1. It is also
found in Karnataka and Kerala hills up to an
altitude of 900 M. and also reported from
Mt. Abu in Rajasthan. The roots are used in
pneumonia Kiritikar, and Basu, (1933)2;
Chopra, (1933)3 mentions its use in the
treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis. The
bark is used as an application for skin
diseases Nadkarni, (1927)4 and Chopra et al
(1956)5. The seed oil is sometimes used for
lighting purpose Chopra et al. (1958)6 and
Maheshwari et al. (1965)7.

Chemical
and
pharamacological
investigation of the roots were carried out by
Joshi et al. (1957)8 and they also reported
Vakerin (Bergenin 2%) in the root. The
roots possesses antibacterial activity.
Bhatnagar et al. (1961)9. Plant possess
antiseptic properties Chopra et al (1958)6
and its effects on respiration and on
cardiovascular Dhar et al. (1973)10.

Except
for
pharmacological
of W.spicata, no
the literature

MATERIALS AND METHODS

some
chemical
and
investigations on the root
references are available in
on its pharmacognosy.

Since the roots of W. spicata Dalzell are

sold in the various drug markets of
Maharashtra, these were collected, identified
and compared with genuine material for
detecting adulteration if any and in view of
the importance of the stem bark and the root
in the indigenous system of medicine since
long, a detailed pharmacognostic studies on
them were undertaken.

Genuine plant material as well as the market

samples were collected in large quantities

Pages 238 - 243

from Mahabaleshwar and Radhnagari

(Maharashtra State) and from various drug
markets of Maharashtra. Free hand and
microtome sections were taken from the
fresh material and market sample, stained in
safranin and light green and finally mounted
in Canada balsm as per usual procedure of
Johansen, (1940)11. Some market sample as
well as the root and stem bark of the genuine
material were dried in the shade so as to
prevent decomposition of active principles
and they were powdered for phytochemical
screening. Percentage extractives and ash
were determined as given in British
Pharmacopoea (1968)12.
Fluorescence
analysis of the powdered drug was carried
out as per Chase, and Pratt., (1949)13.
Macroscopic and microscopic characters
were described as per Wallis, (1967)14.
Estimation of proteins and carbohydrates

were carried out as per Lowrys (1951)15

and Nelsons (1944)16 methods respectively.
In
addition,
histochemical
and
phytochemical tests were also carried out.
(A) GENUINE MATERIAL:
MACROSCOPIC CHARACTERS
Fig 1 : HABIT
Wagatea spicata Dalzel, a monotypic genus
of climbing shrubs, with long trailing and
prickly branches. Leaves bipinnate, pinnae
4 6 pairs; leaflets coriaceous, oblong,
obtuse or subobtuse; flowers, orange,
sessile, indense spicate, racemes; pods linear
oblong with thickned sutures; seeds 3 4,
obovate oblong, transverse with thick bony
testa.

Fig 2 : BARK
Fig 3 : ROOT
The bark is prickly. It is blackish before
scraping and brownish after scraping, cm.
In thickness. The bark is bitter in taste.

The tap root measures 3 4 cm in diameter.

The tertiary root possess root nodules. The

Pages 238 - 243

roots are dark brown before scraping and

turn pale yellow after scraping. The facture
is fibrous and the roots are bitter in taste.
MICROSCOPIC CHARACTERS
Fig 4 : T. S. of the BARK
Transverse section of the bark shows
phellem, phellogen and phelloderm. The
phellem consists of thin walled rectangular
and many layered tangentially elongated
parenchymatous cells. Phellogen is made up
of 2 3 layers of meristematic cells. The
phelloderm is formed by many thin walled
parenchymatous cells and it is followed by
secondary phloem.
Fig 5 : T. S. of the ROOT

rectangular and these are tangentially

elongated. Below this lies 2 3 layered
cork cambium which is made up of
meristematic cells. A continuous zone of
secondary thin walled parenchymatous cells
is seen below the cork cambium. Secondary
phloem is well developed, it is composed of
sieve tubes, companion cells and phloem
parenchyma. Vascular cambium forms a
continuous ring between the secondary
phloem and the secondary xylem.
Secondary xylem region is characterized by
the presence of many small and big vessels
along with tracheids, fibres and xylem
parenchyma. Medullary rays are 2 3 cells
wide and radially elongated. The starch
grains are present in the xylem and ray
parenchyma, these are polyhedral with blunt
angles or more or less rounded, mostly 10
17 in diameter.

Transverse section of the root is circular in

outline. The cork cells are thin walled,

Pages 238 - 243

Pages 238 - 243

TABLE I
Histochemical tests on the bark and the root of Wagatea spicata Dalzell.
TESTS
Starch

Tannins

Alkaloids

REAGENTS
Iodine

BARK
-ve

RESULTS
LOCATION
ROOT
+ve

LOCATION
Xylem and ray
Parenchyma

10% Acidic
FeCl3

+ve

Phelloderm

+ve

Secondary
Phloem,
Xylem and ray
Parenchyma

Mayers
reagent

+ve

Phelloderm

+ve

Phloem
Parenchyma

Wagners
reagent

+ve

Phelloderm

+ve

Phloem
Parenchyma

Drangendorffs
reagent

+ve

Phelloderm

+ve

Phloem
Parenchyma

Conc. H2SO4

+ve

Phelloderm

+ve

Phloem
Parenchyma

Histochemistry
Histochemical tests were carried out on the
genuine material and market sample for
starch, tannins and alkaloids. For these tests
free hand sections were taken and these
were treated with different reagents. The
results are given in the Table I
Phytochemistry
Phytochemical tests were carried out on
water extracts for starch, proteins, tannins,
saponins, anthroquinones and reducing
sugars and on alcohol extracts for alkaloids,
flavonoids and glycosides.

(B) MARKET SAMPLE

The market sample of the root of Wagatea
spicata was compared macroscopically,
microscopically and chemically with the
genuine root sample and it has been seen
that there is no difference between the root
of the market sample and the genuine root
sample and hence studies on the market
samples are not shown in the proper and it is
concluded that the market samples are
genuine and they are of W. spicata only.

Pages 238 - 243

TABLE II
Phytochemical tests on the bark and the root of Wagatea spicata Dalzell

Bark
* (G. M.)

Results
Root
(G. M.)

Root
*(M.S.)

a) Water extracts :
Starch
Proteins
Tannins
Saponins
Anthroquinones
Reducing sugar

-ve
+ve
+ve
+ve
-ve
+ve

+ve
+ve
+ve
+ve
-ve
+ve

+ve
+ve
+ve
-ve
-ve
+ve

b) Alcohol extracts :
Alkaloids :
Mayers reagent
Wagners reagent
Dragendroffs reagent
Picric acid
Tannin acid
Flavonoids
Glycosides

+ve
+ve
+ve
+ve
+ve
-ve
-ve

+ve
+ve
+ve
+ve
+ve
-ve
-ve

+ve
+ve
+ve
+ve
+ve
-ve
-ve

Tests

* G. M. : Genuine material
* M. S. : Market sample
TABLE III
Estimation of proteins and carbohydrates in the bark and the root of Wagatea spicata
Dalzell

Proteins

BARK
* (G. M.)
0.9135 mg / gm

RESULTS
ROOT
(G. M.)
1.960 mg/gm

ROOT
* (M.S.)
1.4238 mg/gm

Total sugars

0.1514 mg/ gm

0.1493 mg/gm

0.1250 mg/gm

Reducing sugars

0.1333 mg/ gm

0.0932 mg/gm

0.0933 mg/gm

Non reducing sugars 0.0191 mg/ gm

0.0561 mg/gm

0.0317 mg/gm

Starch

1.1359 mg/gm

1.0426 mg/gm

ITEM

0.765 mg/ gm

Pages 238 - 243

TABLE IV
Percentage extractives and ash in the bark and the root of Wagatea spicata Dalzell

ITEM

BARK
* (G. M.)

Total ash

6.1

Acid insoluble ash

0.0941

RESULTS
ROOT
(G. M.)
8.5

ROOT
* (M.S.)
9.9

0.1475

0.2121

Extractives :
Water

1.5

1.8

1.9

Ethanol

2.0

1.9

2.0

Solvent ether

1.0

1.5

1.6

Petroleum ether

1.5

1.8

2.0

TABLE V
Fluorescence analysis of the bark and the root of Wagatea spicata Dalzell

TREATMENT
1) Powder as such mounted in Nitrocellulose

FLUORESCENCE EMITTED IN ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT

BARK
ROOT
ROOT
* (G. M.)
(G. M.)
* (M.S.)
Purple
Green
Pale green

2) Powder treated with 1. N NaOH in

Methanol, dried for hr and mounted in
Nitrocellulose

Brown

Green

Pale green

3) Powder mounted in 1. N NaOH in

Methanol

Brown

Green

Pale green

SUMMARY
Wagatea spicata Dalzell is known in
vernacular as, Vagati or Vakeri is a well
known drug used in the pneumonia and
frequently used as an application for skin
diseases. The roots of this plant has long
been sold in various drug markets of
Maharashtra,
hence
the
detailed
pharmacognostic studies have been carried

out
which
includes,
macroscopic,
microscopic
characters,
percentage
extractives and ash, fluorescence analysis,
histochemistry and phytochemistry to detect
adulteration if any.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Pages 238 - 243

Authors are grateful to the Head,

Department of Botany, University of Poona,
Pune 411 007 for providing laboratory
facilities. Sri. S. S. Deokule is also thankful

to the authorities of University Grants

Commission, New Delhi for financial
assistance during the preparation of this
manuscript.

REFERENCES
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Vol. I, 2nd Edn., P. 443. (1967).
2. Kirtikar, K. R. and Basu, B. D., Indian Medicinal Plants, Parabasi Press, Calcutta, Vol. I,
2nd Edn., P. 853. (1933).
3. Chopra, R. N., Indigenous Drugs of India, The art Press, 20 British Indian Street, Calcutta.
P. 538 (1933).
4. Nadkarni, A. K., Indian Materia Medica, Popular Book Depot., Lamington Road, Bombay,
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13. Chese, C. R. and Pratt. R., Fluorescence of powdered vegetable drugs with particular
references to development of a system of identification, Jour. Amer. Pharm. Asso. (Sci. ed)
PP. 38 324. (1949).
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