Plantago ovata (seed husk)

Nomenclature

Plantago ovata Forssk.   Plantaginaceae  
Syn. Plantago ispaghula Roxb. ex Fleming  
Standardized common name (English): Indian plantain

Botanical Voucher Specimen

Source: MOBOT, Tropicos.org

Organoleptic Characteristics

No odor or taste. Source: United States Dispensatory (1918)

Macroscopic Characteristics

Plantago ovata ... is a herbaceous plant ... either erect or decumbent and varies in height from 2.5 cm. to 1 dm. The leaves are ovate and either glabrous or shaggy hairy. The flower spikes are either cylindrical or reduced to a globular head. Seeds boat-shaped, somewhat acute at one end, from two to three millimetres long and from one to one and a half millimetres wide; pale greyish-brown, with a darker elongated spot on the convex side; on the concave side the hilum covered with the remains of a thin white membrane. In water the testa swells, producing a viscous mucilage. Source: United States Dispensatory (1918) Source: PlantaPhile

Microscopic Characteristics

Epidermal cells of the husks in surface view containing mucilage observed at 400x with Acidified Chloral Hydrate Glycerol Solution. Source: Elan M. Sudberg, Alkemist Laboratories	Parenchyma cells seen under polarized light observed at 400x with Acidified Chloral Hydrate Glycerol Solution. Source: Elan M. Sudberg, Alkemist Laboratories

High Performance Thin Layer Chromatographic Identification

Plantago ovata HPTLC ID - Vanillin/H2SO4 Reagent-> 110° C 5 min -> visible light Psyllium (husk) (Plantago ovata) Lane Assignments Lanes, from left to right (Track, Volume, Sample): 3 μL Arabinose~0.1% in CH3OH 3 μL Plantago ovata-1 (husk) 5 μL Plantago ovata-1 (husk) 4 μL Plantago ovata-2 (husk) 4 μL Plantago ovata-2 (husk) 5 μL Plantago ovata-3 (husk) 3 μL Plantago ovata-3 (husk) 3 μL Galactose~0.1% in CH3OH Reference materials used here have been authenticated by macroscopic, microscopic &/or TLC studies according to the reference source cited below held at Alkemists Laboratories, Costa Mesa, CA.  Stationary Phase Silica gel 60, F254, 10 x 10 cm HPTLC plates  Mobile Phase ethyl acetate: glacial acetic acid: methanol: water [6/1.5/1.5/1]  Sample Preparation Method 0.3g+3mL 70% grain EtOH sonicate/heat @~50° C ~ 1/2 hr  Detection Method Vanillin/H2SO4 Reagent-> 110° C 5 min -> visible light  Reference see Method Developed by Alkemists Laboratories Source: Elan M. Sudberg, Alkemist Laboratories