Histo-Anatomical characterization of aerial and root crude samples of Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal

In the herbal drug industry, raw herbal drug samples of several important plant species are often reported interchangeably used with other drug samples. Correct identification for the use of genuine species in herbal preparation is essential to ensure the safety and quality of herbal medicines. Developments of standard botanical monographs are known to help in the easy, cost-effective and authentic identification of raw herbal samples of genuine species. The present study involved the botanical characterization of plant material (leaf, fruit, stem, and root) of Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal. The study of macroscopic and microscopic characters using a stereomicroscope and compound microscope was observed with unique qualitative and quantitative features including characteristic C-shaped vascular bundle arrangement (in leaf); solitary, linear, and grouped xylem vessels in root anatomy; and multi-cellular branched trichomes (in stem, leaf and fruit); the presence of starch in root powder, and prismatic crystals in root and fruit powder as characteristic features. Also, the size of various cells and tissue zones were also provided for studied plant samples. Detailed botanical characters compiled in the present study can be used as a reference standard by herbal drug industries to check the adulteration of W. somnifera by correct identification of raw herbal samples in intact or fragmented form.