MARICA (Fruit)
Marica consists of fully mature dried fruit of Piper nigrum Linn. (Fam. Piperacem); a climber, cultivated from Konkan Southwards, especially in North Konkan Kerala, and also in Assam; fruits ripen from December to March, depending upon climatic conditions; fruits harvested from December to April.
SYNONYMS
Sansk. : Vellaja, Krsna, Usana
Assam. : —
Beng. : Golmorich, Kalamorich, Morich
Eng. : Black Pepper
Guj. : Kalimori
Hindi. : Kalimirch
Kan. : Karimonaru, Menaru
Kash. : —
Mal. : Kurumulaku
Mar. : Kalamiri
Ori. : —
Punj. : Galmirich, Kalimirch
Tam. : Milagu
Tel. : Miriyalu, Marichamu
Urdu. : Filfil Siyah, Kalimirich
DESCRIPTION
a) Macroscopic
Fruits greyish-black to black, hard, wrinkled, 0.4-0.5 cm in dia.; odour, aromatic; taste, pungent.
b) Microscopic
Fruit consists of a thick pericarp for about one third of fruit and an inner mass of perisperm, enclosing a small embryo; pericarp consists of epicarp, mesocarp and endocarp; epicarp composed of single layered, slightly sinuous, tabular cells forming epidermis, below which, are present 1 or 2 layers of radially elongated, lignified stone cells adjacent to group of cells of parenchyma; mesocarp wide, composed of band of tangentially elongated parenchymatous cells having a few isolated, tangentially elongated oil cells present in outer region and a few fibro-vascular bundles, a single row of oil cells in the inner region of mesocarp; endocarp composed of a row of beakershaped stone cells; testa single layered, yellow coloured, thick-walled sclerenchymatous cells; perisperm contains parenchymatous cells having a few oil globules and packed with abundant, oval to round, simple and compound starch grains measuring 5.5-11.0 μ in dia.; having 2-3 components and a few minute aleurone grains.
Powder – Blackish-grey; shows debris with a characteristic, in groups, more or less isodiametric or slightly elongated stone cells, interspersed with thin-walled, polygonal hypodermal cells; beaker-shaped stone cells from endocarp and abundant polyhedral, elongated cells from peri sperm, packed tightly with masses of minute compound and single, oval to round, starch grains measuring 5.5-11.0 μ in dia.; having 2-3 component and a few aleurone grains and oil globules.
IDENTITY, PURITY AND STRENGTH
Foreign matter Not more than 2 Per cent, Appendix 2.2.2
Total ash Not more than 5 Per cent, Appendix 2.2.3
Acid-insoluble ash Not more than 0.5 Per cent, Appendix 2.2.4
Alcohol-soluble extractive Not less than 6 Per cent, Appendix 2.2.6
Water-soluble extractive Not less than 6 Per cent, Appendix 2.2.7
T.L.C. –
T.L.C. of the alcoholic extract on Silica gel ‘G’ plate using Toluene: Ethylacetate (7 : 3) shows in visible light four spots at Rf. 0.05, 0.08 (both light green), 0.27 (light yellow) and 0.52 (yellow). Under UV (366 nm) ten fluorescent zones are visible at Rf. 0.05, 0.08 (both light brown), 0.20 (light blue), 0.46 (blue), 0.52 (greenish yellow), 0.57 (bluish yellow), 0.66 (light blue), 0.74 (light pink), 0.82 and 0.97 (both blue). On exposure to Iodine vapour eleven spots appear at Rf. 0.05, 0.08, 0.14, 0.20, 0.27, 0.34, 0.46, 0.57, 0.66, 0.74 and 0.97 (all yellow). On spraying with Dragendorff reagent followed by 5% Methanolic-Sulphuric acid reagent nine spots appear at Rf. 0.05 (lightorange), 0.14, 0.20, 0.27 (all orange), 0.46, 0.57 (both yellowish orange), 0.66, 0.74 (both orange) and 0.97 (light orange). On spraying with Vanillin-Sulphuric acid reagent and heating the plate for ten minutes at 110°C twelve spots appear at Rf. 0.05, 0.08, 0.20, 0.27, 0.46, 0.52, 0.57, 0.66, 0.74, 0.82, 0.90.and 0.97 (all violet).
T.L.C. OF PIPERINE –
Preparation of the Extract:
Extract 1 g of Pepper powder by heating under reflux for 15 minutes with 10 ml methanol. Filter, evaporate the filtrate so as to reduce it to 2 ml and use for TLC application.
Standard Piperine:
Dilute 5 gm in 5 ml methanol Adsorbent: Silica gel plate Solvent System: Toluene: Ethyl acetate (7:3) (saturate the chamber for at least 30 minutes)
Application: Pepper extract : 20 μ }}–band form. Piperine : 10 μ }
Running distance: 10 to 12 cms
Drying: Air rying for 15 to 20 min. and then in an oven for 5 min.
Detection: Cool and spray the plate thoroughly with Vanillin-Sulphuric acid reagent and heat at 1100 C for 5-10 min. under observation. When piperine spots appear lemon yellow, the plate is to be taken out. Over-heating turns yellow spots to violet.
Rf. of Piperine: Approximately 0.5 in case of hand made plates
CONSTITUENTS – Alkaloids (Piperine, Chavicine, Piperidine, Piperetine) and Essential Oil.
PROPERTIES AND ACTION
Rasa : Katu, Tikta
Guna : Laghu, Ruksa, Tiksna
Virya : Usna
Vipaka : Katu
Karma : Slesmahara, Dipana, Medohara, Pittakara, Rucya, Kaphavatajit Vatahara, Chedana, Jantunasana, Chedi, Hrdroga, Vataroga.
IMPORTANT FORMULATIONS – Maricadi Gutika, Maricadi Taila, Trikatu Curna
THERAPEUTIC USES – Svasa, Sula, Krmiroga, Tvagroga
DOSE – 250 mg – 1 g. of the drug in powder form.
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