Physical, Chemical and Physico-chemical Control of Heliotropium Indicum Linn., Boraginaceae, Powder and Tincture

The quality control of herbal drugs and their extracts is essential when they are used as raw material for the development of herbal medicines. In this work, several techniques (pharmacopoeial and non-pharmacopoeial) were performed, aiming at establishing quality control parameters of the leaves of Heliotropium indicum L. (Boraginaceae), a shrub popularly known as stinker (fedegoso) in Brazilian northern and northeastern regions. The results determined the physicochemical characteristics of the drug and the tincture of the leaves. They also showed that the values obtained are in accordance with the data found in the literature for plant material. Preliminary phytochemical analysis of the leaves demonstrated the presence of phenols, tannins and alkaloids. The chromatographic profile showed the presence of a common substance in the hexanic and alkaloidal fractions. INTRODUCTION: The plants have long represented the only source of therapeutical agent to humans. Along with chemistry development, plants have become the primary source of substances for drug development . Therefore, many companies are looking to incorporate new ingredients to the existing products and to those who still could be developed in future. So, there’s a growing search for substances present in plant species which may function as an alternative therapy, and can be as effective as synthetic drugs . Aiming at the market needs and the lack of quality control specifications, this paper emphasizes the study of Heliotropium indicum L. (Boraginaceae), a plant popularly known as stinker (fedegoso), which occurs especially in Brazilian northern and northeastern regions. It is a subshrub up to one meter high, widely distributed in Brazililan states. Its leaves are displayed alternate, opposite in the same individual; pedunculate inflorescences; white to purple corolla,mitriforme fruit and ellipsoid, pale and smooth seeds . The leaves,when macerated in water are used in the Amazon region for topical treatment of hemorrhoids, skin disorders and burns 5 , . It is also reported that H. indicum L. leaves are also used on inflamed areas of the body . These properties are mainly due to the leaves chemical composition, which is represented by pyrrolizidine alkaloids and were