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ABSTRACT:
Evaluation of Iraqi medicinal plants is very crucial to help people avoid the use of herbs without prior knowledge which results in many side effects and sometimes even leads to death. The plant constituents vary according to season, weather and type of soil, therefore it is necessary to evaluate the chemical constituents and determine the time of collection of medicinal plants. In this research evaluation of the medicinal plant Calendula officinal grown in Iraq was performed by measuring the quantity of hyperoside found in the plant together with macroscopical and microscopical evaluation of the plant.
KEYWORDS: British pharmacopeia, Calendula officinal, hyperoside.
INTRODUCTION:
Definition:
The plant defined in Pharmacopeia as a whole or cut and fully opened flowers of (Calendula officinalis L., Asteraceae). It is a popular medicinal plant and cosmetic herb in Europe and in the US. The herbal drug has been monographed in various national pharmacopoeias, and in the 1999 supplement of the European Pharmacopeia.1
Contents:
Minimum 0.4% of flavonoids expressed as hyperoside in the dried drug2
Identification:
This was performed according to British pharmacopeia (BP)2, European pharmacopoeia, world health organization (WHO)3, Physician Desk Reference (PDR®) and European Medicines Agency4.
Thus, evaluation of C.officinalis growing in Iraq and being comply with the monograph will make it an important source for many pharmaceutical preparations. The evaluation of the Iraqi C.officinalis was done according to British pharmacopoeia newest monograph.2
Collection of plant material:
Calendula...