Page 107 - Medicinal Plants_PharmD general
P. 107
Microscopical Characters of Some Pharmaceutical Starch
i. Potato Starch:
Origin: Tubers of Solanum tuberosum, F. Solanaceae.
Shape: Ovoid, irregularly ovoid, sub-spherical, pyramidal and
somewhat flattened granules.
Hilum: A point at the narrower end of granules usually eccentric.
Striation: Well marked, some however more distinct than the others,
concentric.
Aggregation: Mostly simple, few compound of 2 to 3 components,
rarely semi-compound.
ii. Rice Starch:
Origin: Fruits of Oryza sativa L.,F. Gramineae.
Shape: Small granules with an angular outlines, polyhedral with sharp
angles.
Size: Very minute about 2 µm.
Hilum: A central point.
Striation: Absent.
Aggregation: Compound granules from 2 to about 150 component.
iii. Maize Starch:
Origin: Grains of Zea mays F. Gramineae.
Shape: Muller-shaped, polyhedral, sub-spherical granules.
-107-