• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.51-57
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• 2011

The seeds of Abrus precatorius L. (Family- Fabaceae) constitute the drugs Abrus, Gunja, or Ratti in commerce. In the Indian System of Medicine, the seeds are used for sciatica, paralysis, headache, dysentery, diarrhoea, leprosy, ulcer, nervous disorders, alopecia, as well as anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antibacterial, antitumor, sexual stimulant and abortifacient. Seeds are poisonous and therefore are used after mitigation. The protein abrin is responsible for the highly toxic properties of seeds. Quantitative HPTLC analysis of the methanolic extract of seeds determined the presence of 0.4018% gallic acid and 0.4009% glycyrrhizin. The present study was undertaken to develop an HPTLC method, as well as ascertain the physico-chemical, morphological and histological parameters to establish the authenticity of A. precatorius seeds.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.127-133
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• 1999

'Gunja' is attributable to the plant Abrus precatorius L. (Leguminosae). Three forms with red, brown and another with white seeds are known to occur in this species and are employed for different therapeutic uses viz. as purgative, emetic, aphrodisiac, tonic and also as an abortifacient. According to some Ayurvedic literature the seeds are poisonous and should be given to the patients after proper processing ('Shodhan'). A comparative study of various phytochemical parameters, namely, percentage of successive extractives, total proteins, tannins, total ash and acid insoluble ash of these three forms of the processed (with cow's milk and Kanji) and unprocessed seeds was done. TLC and densitometric scanning of successive extractives was also carried out to serve as markers for processed and unprocessed seeds. The percentage of proteins, tannins, alcohol and water soluble extractives decreased in the processed material. Besides, their acute toxicity, CNS activity were also studied in albino mice and it was found that white seeds are more toxic as compared to the red and brown. The toxic effect was reduced with the processing. Further, the 'Kanji' processed seeds are less toxic than the milk processed one.