Good Agriculture & Field Collection Practices-

GAP & GFCP of Important Indian medicinal plants

COLLECTION SPECIES

1) Boerhaavia diffusa Linn......................................page 1

2) Gymnema sylvestre R. Br. .................................page 4
3) Pseudarthria viscida (L.) Wight. & Arn............page 7

CULTIVATION SPECIES
4) Plumbago zeylanica L. .....................................page 10

ANNEXURE 1. ...................................................page 14

Global standards of microbial contamination, heavy metal, pesticide residue & Afflotoxin

Punarnava
Gudmar

Salparni Chitrak
Prepared for Quality Council of India (QCI)
Government of India, New Delhi
January 2020

The Covenant Centre for Development (CCD)

Madurai & Durg along with Gram Mooligai
Co. Ltd., Madurai & Jabalpur
 1

A. COLLECTION SPECIES
1) Species- PUNARNAVA- Boerhavia diffusa L.

A) CREDENTIALS
Organization- Gram Mooligai Co. Ltd. (GMCL), Madurai & Jabalpur
Research inputs- The Covenant Centre for Development- CCD, Durg
Compiled by- Dr. Utkarsh Ghate, Mr Pradip Dubey, Vaidu Vishnu Kashyap

B) NOMENCLATURE
Botanical name- Boerhavia diffusa L.
Family- Nyctaginaceae
Sanskrit/ pharmacopeia name- Punarnava
Local names & languages- Gujarati: Dholia-saturdo, Moto-satoda. Hindi: Snathikari, Kannada:
Kommegida, Marathi: Tambadivasu Sanskrit: Punarnava, Raktakanda, Shothaghni, Varshabhu
Bengali: Punurnava, Tamil: Mukaratee-Kirei, Telugu: Punernava.
Synonyms- B. repens

C) HABIT, HABITAT, DISTRIBUTION, DESCRIPTION

National, global- Tropical- old world. In India- allover till 1,00 m ASL, except Himalayan &
western Ghats high elevation.
State of collection- Throughout M. P. & Chhattisgarh, but sparse, nowhere abundant.
Habitat- Open, sunny plains, riverbanks, roadside.
Flowering season- October- January.
Fruiting season- December- February.
Plant part collected- Root (traditionally), aerial parts- recently.
Age at collection- 5-6 months.
Morphology- Climbing, perennial herb, spreads on ground, shrubs, 50 cm long, leaves opposite,
unequal, oval-round, 3 cm long-wide, round base, wavy margin, branchlets & stalk red and
nerves too sometimes. Underside is white, hairy. Flowers stalk-less (sessile), 2-3 or up to 7 in
numbers, in 10 cm long bunches, pink- violet colour, minute- 1 mm size.

Punarnava leaf & flower Punarnava habit Punarnava roots

D) COLLECTION INFO
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Period- initiation- September

Peak- October- November
Waning phase- December
Yield Pattern, Sustainable levels- 10 gm root may be obtained from 1 uprooted plant, 2 quintal
roots (dried) may be harvested from 1 acre if 20,000 herbs are planted at 2*1 feet spacing. The
aerial parts may weigh 15-20 gram/ plant & 3-4 quaintal/ acre yield is possible. Total 5-6 quintal-
all parts (panchang)/ acre yield likely. Its planted from seeds & can earn Rs. 60,000/- to
100,000/- (one lakh) acre in 6 months so its lucrative to rainfed farmers and farming is initiated,
to help sustainability.

Collection Process
Tools used- Hoe (to dig) & spade (to collect, push).
Precaution- NA
Saftey (toxicity)- NA (its safe)
Procedure- Dig & uproot the plant, separate aerial parts, its sold separately.
Packing- HDPE drums/ polythene bags.
Storage- cool, dry place is required.

E) POST HARVEST MANAGEMENT

Shelf life (tight packed)- 6 months.
Deterioration signs- its powdered automatically.
Preventive measures- NA
Species Management (Sustainability)- Cultivation, as said above. Its considered a weed globally.

F) ANY OTHER INFO

The herb contains 15 amino acids, with the root contains 14 amino acids, 7 of them being
essential type, many are common to the roots and leaves (Mahesh et al, 2012).

The aerial part is also found effective so is used of late, sold at Rs. 100/- kg dry weight (farm gate
price). The roots are sold dried at Rs. 125/- to 150/- kg at farm, Mandi price is 20-30% more.

Punarnava contains many types of secondary metabolites, such as flavonoid glycosides (e.g.
Quercetin), isoflavonoids (rotenoids), steroids (ecdysteroid), alkaloids, and phenolic and lignan
glycosides (Mishra eta al, 2014). The chemical marker for Punarnava belongs to rotenoid category;
namely, boeravinone B and authentic samples should contain not less than 0.005% boeravinone B.

Phytochemical screening of the roots from garden-grown in vivo plants of B. diffusa of different
ages revealed that the maximum alkaloid content (2%) accumulated in the roots of 3-year old plants
(Mahesh et al, 2012), so its advisable to collect roots of such 2-3 year old plants.

Studies indicate similarity in root & leaf chemicals and both may thus be used (Mahesh et al,
2012). for instance, Natural Remedies Pvt. Ltd., a leading herbal extract exporter uses roots & aerial
 3

parts both). Two alkaloids identified as punarnavine I and punarnavine II was isolated from root, stem
and leaves. Several volatile compounds are found in both root and leaves.

DNA-based molecular markers are proposed as an excellent tool for identifying geographical
variation, genetic diversity, phylogenetic relationship, authentication of plant species, pharmacognostic
characterization, species characterization and genetic mapping in medicinal plants (Patil & Bhalsing,
2015). Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) is tool preferred for genetic variability studies
(Shukla et al, 2003).

Due to the ambiguity in local names and similar apparent appearance, market samples of
Punarnava are often adulterated with various species of Trianthema portulacastrum L. (called
Satodi in Gujarat, like Punarnava) and Sesuvium portulacastrum L. (Patil et al, 2016). These
adulterated samples contain neither the Punarnavine alkaloid, nor does it possess anisocytic
stomata but possess paracytic stomata. Comparative study of stem anatomy showed two main
characteristic differences.

In the Ayurvedic texts, two varieties of Punarnava are mentioned viz. Raktapunarnava (red
variety) and Svetapunarnava (white variety). Both attribute different properties (babu et al, . With
regard to the identification of the different varieties of punarnava, there is difference of opinion among
the Ayurvedic physicians. Raktapunarnava is invariably equated with Boerhavia diffusa L. and
svetapunarnava has since been equated with white-flowered species Boerhavia erecta L. (syn: B.
punarnava Saha & Krishnamurthi), Trianthema portulacastrum L. and Commicarpus verticillatus (Poir.)
Standl. Some author states that B. erecta is an American weed, seemingly introduced in India rather
recently and hence cannot be consider as the original source of the drug [8]. However, B. erecta
intentionally or unintentionally adulterated/substituted with B. diffusa.

G) REFERENCES

Babu K, Dharishini MP, Austin A. 2017. Comparative root anatomy and thin layer chromatographic
identification of Boerhavia diffusa L. and Boerhavia erecta L. J Phytopharmacol; 6(,6):318-321.

Mahesh AR, Harish Kumar, Ranganath MK and Raviraj Anand Devkar, 2012. Detail Study on Boerhaavia
Diffusa Plant for its Medicinal Importance- A Review. Res. J. Pharmaceutical Sci. Vol. 1(1), 28-36.
Mishra Shikha, Vidhu Aeri, Praveen Kumar Gaur, and Sanjay M. Jachak, 2014. Phytochemical,
Therapeutic, and Ethnopharmacological Overview for a Traditionally Important Herb: Boerhavia
diffusa Linn. BioMed Research International, p 1-19.
Nayak Pranati, M Thirunavoukkarasu, 2016. A review of the plant Boerhaavia diffusa: its chemistry,
pharmacology and therapeutical potential. The Journal of Phytopharmacology; 5(2): 83-92.

Patil Kapil and Sanjivani R. Bhalsing, 2015. Efficient micropropagation and assessment of genetic fidelity
of Boerhaavia diffusa L- High trade medicinal plant, Physiol Mol Biol Plants.; 21(3): 425–432.
Patil V. S., K S Rajput, N P Malpathak, 2016. Comparative study on morpho-anatomy of leaf, stem and
root of Boerhaavia diffusa L. (Nyctaginaceae) and its adulterant plants. Brazil Jr. Pharma. Sci. vol. 52, n. 3,
pp. 433-442.

Shukla Nidhi, N.S. Sangwan, H.O. Misra & R.S. Sangwan, 2003. Genetic diversity analysis in Boerhavia
diffusa L. of different geographic locations in India using RAPD markers, Genetic Resources and Crop
Evolution volume 50, pp. 587–601.
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2) Species- GUDMAR- Gymnema sylvestre R. Br.

A) CREDENTIALS

Organization- Gram Mooligai Co. Ltd. (GMCL), Madurai & Jabalpur

Research inputs- The Covenant Centre for Development- CCD, Durg
Compiled by- Dr. Utkarsh Ghate, Mr Pradip Dubey.

B) NOMENCLATURE

Botanical name- Gymnema sylvestre R. Br.

Family- Asclepiadeceae
Sanskrit/ pharmacopeia name- Madhunashini, Meshshringi
Local names & languages- Hindi- Gudmar, Chakravalli (Kannada)

Synonyms-

Gudmar leaves Gudmar drying initial step

Gudmar plant/ habit

C) HABIT, HABITAT, DISTRIBUTION, DESCRIPTION

National, global- Scrub, deciduous & semi evergreen forests across India in tropical old world
State of collection- Throughout M.P. but common in dry zones – Chambal ravines
Habitat- rocky, degraded soils, scarps, shrub jungle, grows on small trees/bushes
Flowering season- July
Fruiting season- October-December
Plant part collected- Stem or aerial parts are now increasingly used & found effective.
Age at collection- 2 years
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Morphology- evergreen climbing shrub 4 m long/tall, atop other bushes, small trees. Leaves are
medium sized, opposite, dark green, pointed, elliptic & round base. Nerves 4-6, distant faint,
watery/ milky sap oozes when the leaf/ stem is cut.

H) COLLECTION INFO
Period- initiation-
Peak- It is collected 2 times year – October & May
Waning phase-
Yield Pattern, Sustainable levels- Jan – Feb/June (2nd harvest)
About 70% leave can be collected only the mature ones vide research by TERI (Pandey & Yadav,
2010). About 0.2 – 0.5 kg dry leaves/plant are collected in 4 years old climber.

Collection Process
Tools used- Scissor, gunny bags
Precaution- Do not pull the climber it harms regrowth.
Saftey (toxicity)- its safe
Procedure- The twigs, branches need to be out by the scissor. In Sheopur district, the cut bushes
are hanged upside down & the leaves drop on the floor in a few days, are dried, packed & sold.
Packing- Polythene bags.
Storage- HDPE drums, as the later avoid moisture, insects attack etc.

I) POST HARVEST MANAGEMENT

Shelf life (tight packed)- 6 months
Deterioration signs- leaves start powdering
Preventive measures- NA
Species Management (Sustainability)- cultivation is a must due to growing demand it can be
grown by cuttings. For, the forest stock is limited & cannot meet the huge global demand.

J) ANY OTHER INFO

It is used to control blood sugar (diabetes). Gymnemic acid is the main active chemical, besides use to
treak snakebite, leprosy, rheumatism etc. It varies from 1 to 1.5% in the leaf across M.P. state vide TFRI
studies (Pandey & Yadav, 2010). It is found widely in the tropical old world & cultivated also widely. It
can grow 12-15 years. About 1.5-2 ton dry leaf/acre may be collected in plantation (at 1*1 m planting
distance, i.e. 4,000 herbs/ acre) vide above study but TNAU (Anon, 2015) report 2-3 times yield in
plantation at 2*2m species. Pandey however reported 1.5 ton/ ha/ year yield in trial plantations with 10
t FYM/ ha input, so this yield may be realistic. Study by Pune university reports 2 t/ha/year dry leaf yield
in cultivation (Shahnavaz et al, 2012) who also report great genetic diversity among the populations
across western Maharashtra & coastal districts, due its insect pollination mode. Study by research
centre at Jaipur & horticulture college, Mandasaur district (M. P. State) indicate yield at 1 kg/ plant/ dry
leaf from 3rd year, at 1.5 m* . The leaves are sold at Rs. 50-60/- kg so it may earn Rs. 1 lakh/ acre
minimum in 2 years. Coppicing permits repeat harvest.
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In cultivation, application of Vesicular Arbuscular Mycorrhiza (VAM)

fungi have been used to enhance the plant growth and yield of medicinal crops
and to help maintain good soil health and fertility that contributes to a
greater extent to a sustainable yield and good quality of the bioactives.

K) REFERENCES

Anon, 2015. Horticulture- medicinal crops- Gymnema. Tamilnadu Agriculture University,

Pandey A. K. 2012. Cultivation Technique of an Important Medicinal Plant Gymnema sylvestre R. Br.
(Gurmar). Academic Journal of Plant Sciences 5 (3): 84-89.

Pandey A. K. and Swati Yadav, 2010. Variation in gymnemic acid content and non-destructive harvesting of
Gymnema sylvestre (Gudmar). Pharmacognosy Res. 2010 Sep-Oct; 2(5): 309–312.

Shahnawaz, M., R. L. Zanan, K. V. Wakte, S. V. Mathure • T. D. Kad • S. S. Deokule, A. B., 2012. Nadaf
Genetic diversity assessment of Gymnema sylvestre (Retz.) R. Br. ex Sm. populations from Western
Ghats of Maharashtra, India. Genet Resour Crop Evol. 59:125–134.

Thakur, Riya and Ajay Haldar, 2017. Gudmar- a medicinal plant (Hindi). Srusti Agro, Mumbai.
 7

3) Species- SHALPARNI/ MOOVILA, Psuedarthria viscida (L.) Wight. & Arn

A) CREDENTIALS
Organization- Gram Mooligai Co. Ltd. (GMCL), Madurai & Jabalpur
Research inputs- The Covenant Centre for Development- CCD, Durg
Compiled by- Dr. Utkarsh Ghate & Mr John Britto
B) NOMENCLATURE
Botanical- Psuedarthria viscida (L.) Wight. & Arn
Family- Fabaceae
Sanskrit/ pharmacopeia name- Salparni, shaliparni
Local names & languages- Tamil, Malyalam- Moovila, Tamil- Neermalli, Hindi- chapakno,:
Kannada- antubele, antuparni, moovile , Marathi- chikta, Sanskrit- prsniparni, salaparni.
Synonyms-Desmodium leschenaultii DC.; Desmodium timoriense DC.; Hedysarum viscidum L.

C) HABIT, HABITAT, DISTRIBUTION, DESCRIPTION

National, global- South & East Asia (Indio-malaya), within India, peninsula (south of Godavari).
State of collection- Throughout Tamilnadu & Kerala at low elevations- below 1,000 m ASL.
Habitat- wide variety- from forest undergrowth, margins to farms as a weed.
Flowering season- August-September
Fruiting season- October-November
Plant part collected- Roots
Age at collection- 3 months
Morphology- Its a semi-erect, under shrub, viscid–pubescent (densely hairy), having slender
branches with rooting at nodes; leaves- 3-foliate, alternate, stipulate; leaflets ovate, rhomboid
and acute; lateral nerves obliquely ovoid acute; flowers- papilionaceous, small, pinkish white in
long terminal branched racemes; fruit- densely viscid, hairy, flat, pods linear oblong, seeds 4 to
6, compressed, brownish-black,.
The roots are comparatively narrow, woody, dark brown in color with the surface profusely
lenticellate and some what warty but not hard. The surface skin is thin and exfoliating. It has a
light brown inner layer. The roots have astringent taste but no special odour.

Moovila twig- leaf & flower Moovila pod Moovila root

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C) COLLECTION INFO
Period- initiation- July end
Peak-August
Waning phase- September
Yield Pattern, Sustainable levels-
A plant may yield 10 gram dry root in 4-5 months & per acre 2 quintal from 20,000 plants if
planted at 2*1 ft spacing. The herb can be grown from the seeds, so root harvest can be
sustained. Arya Vaidya Sala, Kottakkal studied the lupeol, an active ingredient content level in
the roots over its growth period- June to December month-wise & found its maximum- 0.044%
in August, during the flowering period. It was just 1/3rd of this level at the start (June) & at the
end- after seeding in December (Jayanthi et al, 2013). So roots need to be collected during the
flowering period (August) for maximum potency.
Collection Process
Tools used- Hoe (to dig), scissor to cut as stem is used (Rs. 90/- kg) in Tamilnadu, not root. A
gatherer may collect 10 kg fresh stem, giving 2 kg dry (20%). Root harvest is less (4 kg/ day).
Precaution- NA
Saftey (toxicity)- NA (its safe)
Procedure- Loosen the soil by bit of water addition if its dry spell, then dig out the root.
Packing- Polythene bags, HDPE drums.
Storage- Cool, dry place, in drums & racks. If possible use oven as its rainy season, moist, fungus
infestation risk. So dry it inside the room with room heater & well spread condition on tarpaulin
sheets, if not thermal oven is available. Solar drier may not work in the monsoon.

D) POST HARVEST MANAGEMENT

Shelf life (tight packed)- 6-9 months
Deterioration signs- roots turn very pale, start powdering, porous
Preventive measures- NA
Species Management (Sustainability)- Cultivation is possible & advisable.

E) ANY OTHER INFO

It is analgesic, diuretic, anti-inflammatory, and haemorrhagic. It is used in postnatal complaints,

diarrhoea, chronic fever, biliousness, cough, vomiting, pile and asthma, used in making 68 traditional
herbal medicines. Its key ingredient of dasmoolarishta (10 roots extrct) and chyavanprash (tonic)- the
top Ayurvedic tonics. It is used to cure nervous, digestive, cardio-vascular, rheumatic, respiratory,
urinary ills and to treat snake/ scorpion poison, is a tonic.

There is taxonomic confusion beginning with Ayurvedic texts like Bhavamishra (Anon). Its called
Prishnaparni (common name for Uraria picta- UP, having single leaf), but 3 leaves in the present taxon
PV distinguishes it. In northern India, similar species is used as Salparni- Desmodium gangetium.
Bhavamisra says “Simhapucchi” can be used in the place of “Prisniparni”, but he used the synonym
“Triparni” (meaning three leaves) for “Salaparni”, proving it to be PV as the latter (UP) has 1 leaf.
 9

It is regularly mixed in the market with Desmodium species such as D. triquettrum & D.
pulchellam, making Moovila collection quantity low (Menon, 2003), D. tilaefolium and D. Polycarpous
(Anon). Its efficient tissue culture method is also developed (Cheruvathur & Thomas, 2011), as its wild
population is depleted due to over-collection and seed viability & germination rate is low while
seedlings mortality is high.

The various synonyms according to various ayurvedic texts are as below (Anon, 2019),

<1> vidarigandha – The arises as the kanda or the stem has the smell similar to that of vidari
(Pueraria tuberosa or its substitute Ipomea digitata),

<2> Amsumati –It is named so due to the shape of it’s root which resembles the rays of sun,
<3>Salaparni – The name orginatd due to its similarity to the leaves to that of leaves of sala tree
(shorea robusta),
<4> Sthira – It is so called, as its root exists in the land for a long period of time,
<5> Dirghapatra – As it has long and narrow leaves,
<6> Dirghamula – This name arised due to its long roots,
<7> Dhirghangi – This name originated due to its long limbed branches,
<8> Ekamula – It is named so as it has a single root,
<9> Vrihiparni – The name aroused due to the similarity of its leaves to that of Vrihi or a Bear.

In the root, the cork tissue is comprised of 10-15 rows of rectangular cells with fairly thick walls the
cortex is a narrow zone. A conspicuous and noteworthy feature of this region is the presence of few
celled groups in tangential rows of very large thin walled cells with brownish contents, small groups of
sclerenchyma also occur the wood is composed of large proportion of wooden fibres (Anon).

F) REFERENCES

Anon, nd. https://ayurworld.blogspot.com.

Kavitha, K, Sangeetha N, Nepolean, R., and Y Haribabu, 2018. Evaluation of anti microbial activity
of ethanol extract of Pseudarthria viscida leaf. Int. Res. J. Pharm. ; 9(6):189-191.

Jayanthy A., Prakash Kumar U., A. B. Remashree, 2013. Effect of Spacial and Temporal
Variations in Cellular Characters and Chemical Contents in Pseudarthria viscida (l.)W. & Arn. – A
Medicinal Plant, Internl. Jr. of Pharma. and Phytochem. Res. 2013; 5(3); 177-182.

Menon, P., 2003. Conservation & Consumption: A Study on the Crude Drug Trade in Threatened
Medicinal Plants in T Trivandrum District, Kerala. Kerala Res. Prog. on Local Development, Centre for
Dev. Studies (CDS), Trivandrum. http://www.cds.ac.in/krpcds/report/parvati%20menon.pdf

Cheruvathur M. K. & T. Dennis Thomas, 2011. An efficient plant regeneration system through
callus for Pseudarthria viscida (L.) Wright and Arn., a rare ethnomedicinal herb. Physiol Mol Biol Plants
17(4):395–401.
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A. CULTIVATION SPECIES

Organization- Gram Mooligai Co. Ltd. (GMCL), Madurai & Jabalpur

Research inputs- The Covenant Centre for Development- CCD, Durg, MOP-SFRI, Jabalpur
Compiled by- Dr. Utkarsh Ghate & Mr Pradip Dubey
NOMENCLATURE
a) Botanical name– Plumbago zeylanica L.
b) Pharmacopeia – Chitrak
c) Local & languages – Chitrak, Chiva, Sheetraj (Hindi), Leadwort (English) chitrakmul (Trade)
Telhidak angouba (Manipur), Chittiramoolam, karimai, Kodiveli (Tamilnadu), Vella-koduveli,
Thumpok koduveli (Malayalam), Chitramulika (Karnataka), Safaid-sitarak (West Bengal),
Chitoparu, Ogni (Orissa), Chitramulam (Telugu).
English- Doctorbush, Ceylon Leadwort (Ganesan & Gani, 2013).
d) Varieties –

2. Part used medicinally – Root (Aerial too, recently)

3. Character (agro morphology) – Glandular hairs on the long stalk of the flowers are key to its
identity, as insects are trapped in it. It is 1.5– 2 m tall evergreen shrub. Flowers white. The leaves are
simple, alternate, oblong, spirally arranged, hairy margin, thick, and flashy, 2-3 cm broad, pointed at the
tip, amplexicaul at the base and often dilated into stipule like auricles. Petiole narrow. . The flowering
occurs from September to November. are white in color, 10–25 cm long. Inflorescence is terminal
raceme, bracts ovate to lance shaped, flowers bisexual, regular, 5 lobed, sweet-scented; calyx is green,
about 1 cm long and covered with long-stalked glandular hairs. Corolla is white with five petal-like lobes,
with a slender tube and spreading limb. The flower calyx has glandular hairs which secret a sticky
mucilage that is capable of trapping and killing insects. The fruits are like a small cocklebur with glue on
the soft spines and they will stick to anything. Fruit an oblong capsule, apex acute with 5 furrows, 1-
seeded, seed oblong, 5–6 mm long, reddish brown to dark brown. The roots are stout, cylindrical,
friable, blackish red in color, with a pungent smell. Roots are 30 cm or more in length, 6 mm or more in
diameter, stout, cylindrical, friable, blackish red in colour, light yellow coloured when fresh, reddish
brown when dry, straight or slightly branched, with uniform and smooth texture. It has acrid and bitter
taste. Bark is thin and brown in colour.

Chitrak habit Chitrak flowers Chitrak roots

4. Production areas – Through at Indian plains & hills below 1,000 MASL in deciduous forests,
home gardens & hedges.
 11

5. CHARACTERS

i) Key identification mark – glandular hair on long stalk of the flowers that trap insects.

ii) Ecological characters – It’s a perennial small shrub widespread in India, the chemical
content is higher in the dry zones.
iii) Major chemical compounds – Plumbagin
iv) Preferred growth conditions
a) Climate – widespread plant with variety of climate in tropical region, many
countries.
b) Soil – in habits many soil types, black, red, alluvial etc.
c) Shed – moist places and shaded spots are preferred.

CULTIVATION TECHNIQUES
(i) Land preparation – thorough ploughing is needed to avoid water logging.
(ii) Propagation –
(a) Seed – collected in February germination is 60%_ low seeds can be rubbed against
micropiler by experienced person for 70% germination
(b) Planting material – Cuttings are useful & efficient than seeds. Stem pieces 10-15 long with 3
nodes are cut in March – April. Nursery is raised from cuttings in March & transplanted in
July. Dipping in 500 PPM Naphthalene Acetic Acid (NAA) induces root growth germination
cuttings is 80% soon. One joint burrowed in the soil & and 2 left on the top.
(iii) Sowing – Rows are 15 cm vide & plants sown at 5 cm spacing in the nursery. The farm
spacing of plants can be 10 cm & 20 cm between adjacent plants & 3 feet inter-row
distance.
(iv) Fertiliser – FYM is added to the soil at 4 ton /acre during ploughing cow urine foliar spray,
organic inputs including Azotobactor, VAM . Soil & FYM is equal in proportion.
(v) Irrigation –irrigation is not required in normal monsoon but weekly irrigation during winter
(Nov – Dec) is preferred.
(vi) Inter culture - Fruit trees like Guava, Lemon, Mango or timber trees like Khamhar (Gmelina
arborea) can be grown as cover crop.
(vii) Pest & Disease management – Semi looper larva or hairy caterpillar infest leaves & buds
NSKE (neem seed kemel extract) or cow urine to be sprayed in 5% water solution.
(viii) Harvest stage, process –
(a) Post harvest – dry the roots in shed to avoid reoperation of active ingredients, wash the
plant parts collects in water flow cut in 5-7 long pieces. Moisture should be below 13-
15% in roots to store. Store in air light polythene bags.
(b) Yield- 7 quintal root/acre.

7. Quality evaluation
(a) API standard (Anon, nd)
Foreign matter- Not more than 3%, Appendix 2.2.2.
 12

Total Ash- Not more than 3 %, Appendix 2.2.3.

Acid-insoluble ash- Not more than 1%, Appendix 2.2.4.
Alcohol-soluble extractive- Not less than 12%, Appendix 2.2.6.
Water-soluble extractive- Not less than 12%, Appendix 2.2.7.

(d) Chemical profile

8. Comparison of different varities/ regions.

Dry zone herbs have higher plumb gin

9. Calendar -
February – seed collection
March – Nursery
July – Transplanting
Nov & Dec – irrigation, pest-disease control
Jan – Flowering
June – Harvest after irrigation once

10. Background info –

It is multipurpose wonder drug, a bitter tonic, to improve liver & spleen function, its used in
urination, arthritis, joint pains, paralysis, skin cure esp. root oil or leaf milk.

Its active chemical ingredient is plumbagin (found in both roots- 0.03% of dry weight & leaves)
that possesses several pharmacological activities, e.g. antimicrobial, antiplasmodial, anticancer and
antifertility actions. It is also a powerful irritant. In small doses, it is causes and stimulates the central
nervous system; large doses may cause death from respiratory failure and paralysis.

The genus Plumbago includes 3 species, namely Plumbago indica L. (P. rosea L.), P. capensis
L., and P. zeylanica L., distributed in several parts of India.

The root price is Rs. 350./- kg. Its cultivation may earn up to Rs. 2.5 lakh/ acre in 3 years.

11. Extract attribute

12. Quality parameters to certify (A general limit example is annexed, common to herbal sector)
Pesticide residue
Heavy metal
Microbial load
Afflotoxin

13. Bibliography –

Anon, nd. THE AYURVEDIC PHARMACOPOEIA OF INDIA, Ayush department, Ministry of Health &
Family welfare, Govt. of India, new Delhi.
 13

Anon 2019 cultivation guide to Chitrak (Plumbago zeylanica) M.P. state Forest Research
Institute, Jabalpur supported by NMPB (National Medicinal Plants Board).

Ganesan, K. & S. B. Gani, 2013. Ethnomedical and Pharmacological Potentials of Plumbago

zeylanica L- A Review. American Jr. Phytomed. and Clini. Therap., 1:3: 313-337.

Kishore N, Mishra BB, Tiwari VK, Tripathi V2012. An account of phytochemicals from Plumbago
zeylanica (Family: Plumbaginaceae): A natural gift to human being. Chron Young Sci; 3:178-98.

Vishnukanta and A. C. Rana. 2011. Plumbago Zeylanica: A Phytopharmacological Review IJPSR,

2011; Vol. 2 (2): 247-255.
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ANNEXURE 1
Global standards of microbial contamination, heavy metal, pesticide residue & Afflotoxin

Ref.- Zamir Rausan, Anowar Hosen, M. Obayed Ullah, and Nilufar Nahar, 2015. Microbial and Heavy
Metal Contaminant of Antidiabetic Herbal Preparations Formulated in Bangladesh. Evidence-Based
Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Volume, Article ID 243593, 9 pages.

1) Microbial

2) Heavy metal
 15

Ref. 2) KOSALEC Ivan , Josipa CVEK, and Siniša TOMIĆ, 2009. CONTAMINANTS OF MEDICINAL
HERBS AND HERBAL PRODUCTS Arh Hig Rada Toksikol; 60:485-501
(Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, University of Zagreb1 , Agency for Medicinal Products
and Medical Devices2 , Zagreb, Croatia)

3) Pesticide residue

-
 16

Ref. 3) WHO, 2017. Evaluation of certain contaminants in food: eighty-third report of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee
on Food Additives. (WHO technical report series ; no. 1002)

4) Afflotoxin limits