Standardisation and Quality Control of Homoeopathic Drug Pimenta officinalis Lindl.

Abstract

Pimenta officinalis Lindl., a bushy tree commonly known as ‘all spice’ belongs to the family Myrtaceae. It is a potential drug in homoeopathy used in neuralgias and disturbed sensations of heat and cold. The dried unripe fruits are used as medicine. The fruit is a small pea-sized berry, blackish to reddish brown. The epicarp is conspicuous with numerous large glandular secretory cavities. The pericarp is about 2 mm thick. The mesocarpic cells contain resin, tannins and sphaerocrystals. Stone cells are also present in mesocarp. The outermost layer of seed consists of closely packed testa with attached stone cells. The endosperm consists of cells containing starch grains. The powder microscopical and organoleptic characters of powder are presented. Physico-chemical parameters of raw drug viz., extractive values, ash values, formulation and standardisation of mother tincture like wt. per ml, total solids, alcohol content, pH along with HPTLC and UV studies have been undertaken.