LAUSR

Harsinghar/Parijataka is a sacred plant grown near the temples as well as in residential areas in India. Each and every part of the plant is used as medicine by the aboriginals. It is botanically known as Nyctanthes arbor-tristis L. from family Oleaceae. The stem bark and leaves have been studied in details. Although the flowers of parijataka have curative properties in inflammations, ophthalmopathy, flatulence, colic etc. the study is lacking. Hence it was felt necessary to put forth the pharmacognostical standards for the said flower. The present work involves the macroscopic, microscopic and histochemical studies of petals and corolla tubes. The entire flower was investigated for powder microscopy, fluorescence, physicochemical and qualitative phytochemical analysis. Thus these standards will be of utmost important in identification of Nyctanthes arbor-tristis flower.