~ 912 ~ Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry 2018; 7(4): 912-916 E-ISSN: 2278-4136 P-ISSN: 2349-8234 JPP 2018; 7(4): 912-916 Received: 03-05-2018 Accepted: 08-06-2018 Prakash Chandra Gupta University Institute of Pharmacy, Chhatrapati shahu Ji Maharaj University, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India Ashish Kar The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), Northeastern Regional Centre, Guwahati, Assam, India Nisha Sharma University Institute of Pharmacy, Chhatrapati shahu Ji Maharaj University, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India Nikunj Sethi University Institute of Pharmacy, Chhatrapati shahu Ji Maharaj University, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India Dipankar Saharia The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), Northeastern Regional Centre, Guwahati, Assam, India Naba Kumar Goswami Energy and Resources Institution, (TERI), Northeastern Regional Centre, Guwahati, Assam, India Correspondence Prakash Chandra Gupta University Institute of Pharmacy, Chhatrapati shahu Ji Maharaj University, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India Pharmacognostic study and establishment of quality parameters of Garcinia xanthochymus (Gamboge) Prakash Chandra Gupta, Ashish Kar, Nisha Sharma, Nikunj Sethi, Dipankar Saharia and Naba Kumar Goswami Abstract Garcinia xanthochymus Hook. f. ex. T. Anderson (Clusiaceae) commonly known as gamboge, is a fruit yielding perennial medicinal plant native to South East Asia. It is used in treatment of various disorders by folk healers. The plant has been scientifically evaluated for various biological activities like antimicrobial, cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antidiabetic and nerve growth factor potentiating activity. The present investigation deals with morpho-anatomical evaluation and establishment of its quality parameters, including physicochemical and chromatographic profile of G. xanthochymus. Macroscopically, leaf is simple, petiolate, linear-oblong in shape with acute apex and cuneate base. The presence of paracytic stomata, arc shaped xylem in leaf, crescent shape bicollateral vascular bundle in petiole and arrangement of xylem in ring form in stem are some of the diagnostic features noted from anatomical study of the plant. Powder microscopy of leaf revealed the presence of palisade cells, sclerenchymatous fibres and vessels with annular and reticulate thickenings. Phytochemical screening mainly revealed the presence of carbohydrate, glycoside, favonoid and tannins. HPTLC finger printing of plant with solvent system toluene: ethyl acetate: formic acid (7:5:1) confirmed the presence of 06 spots with different Rf value under UV light 366λ Keywords: Garcinia xanthochymus; morphoanatomical; pharmacognosy; physicochemical; standardization 1. Introduction Garcinia xanthochymus Hook. f. ex. T. Anderson (Clusiaceae) commonly known as gamboge, is a perennial medicinal plant native to South East Asia. Plant is widely used as a traditional folk medicine for bilious condition, diarrhea, dysentery, anthelmintic, cardiotonic and as a tonic to improve appetite [1, 2, 3, 4] . In traditional Chinese Dai medicine, it is used for expelling worms and removing food toxins [5] . Ripe fruits of plant are extensively used in making jams, sherbet, curries beverages and flavoring in other foods [6, 7] . The sap is used as a watercolors and yellow fabric dye [8] . Plants are rich sources of xanthones, biflavonoids and benzophenones [9, 10] . These constituents have been reported to possess several biological activities, such as antimicrobial, antimalarial, cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antidiabetic and nerve growth factor potentiating activity [4] . Owing to its ethnopharmacological importance, the present investigation has been undertaken with an objective to establish morphoanatomical, powder microscopical, physicochemical and chromatographic characteristics of G. xanthochymus so that authentic plant material could be explored for its therapeutic claim. 2. Materials and Methods Chemicals All the chemicals and solvents used for the study were of analytical grade and procured from SD Fine-Chem Ltd, Mumbai, India. For HPTLC, precoated TLC plates were purchased from Merck, India. Collection of plant material Fresh aerial parts of the G. xanthochymus were collected from homestead garden of Balipukhuri village, Sonitpur district, Assam, India in the month of May 2017. The specimen was identified by Taxonomist, TERI-Northeastern Regional Centre, Guwahati and later specimen was confirmed in BSI, Shillong and voucher specimen was deposited in herbarium section of TERI-Guwahati for future reference.