Abstract
In different Samhita and Nighantu, the Acharya described different plants under the
name of Lakshmana. One of the botanical sources of Lakshmana is Ipomoea sepiaria Koenig ex.
Roxb. which belongs to the family Convolvulaceae and is a glabrous or occasionally pubescent,
slender twinning climber with a slightly thickened or tuberous perennial root and leaf with dull
purplish patches in the centre and pink to purplish flowers. The drug is reputed in folklore system
of medicine for various therapeutic properties like, aphrodisiac and antidote to arsenic poisoning,
tonic, rejuvenating, diuretic, laxative, uterotonic & sterility in women and root is indicated especially
in diabetes. As the plant was not explored scientifically, it was planned to study the root first with
its detail macroscopy, microscopy and also phytochemical evaluations with TLC. Free hand
sections were taken from the root and observed as such under the microscope for the presence
of ergastic cell contents and other important diagnostic characters like, cluster crystals, simple and
compound starch grains, pitted vessels etc. Preliminary analysis for the presence of various
functional groups revealed the presence of alkaloids, saponins, phenols and resin. TLC study of
the alcoholic, pet ether and chloroform extract showed the presence of spots in short UV, long UV
and after spraying developing reagent, respectively at different Rf values. The information generated
by this particular study provides relevant pharmacognostical and phytochemical data needed for
proper identification and authentication of roots of this particular species.

Key words: Ipomoea sepiaria, Lakshmana, TLC, Pharmacognostical Study, Phytochemical Study, laticiferous cell.