Quality Study of Dried Koi Seed (Streblus asper Lour.)

Abstract

       Streblus asper Lour. or as called tooth brush tree or Koi in Thai is classified in Moraceae family. Its dried seed has been using in Thai traditional medicine for treating diarrhea as well as other pathogenic bacteria in oral cavity and alimentary canal. However, standard specification of tooth brush tree in Thai Herbal Pharmacopeia is not yet available. Thus, the present studies were under taken to collect the base-line datas for supporting those specification. The studies comprised phytochemical screening, physico-chemical specifications and heavy metal contamination by using dried seed of 16 samples of authentic and commercials. Results obtained from the chemical study indicated that, between the 2 mobile phases, a mixture of heptane-ethyl acetate-glacial acetic acid in the ratio 7:3:0.2 showed better potential in separation of the band from the ethanolic extract of dried seeds. The means values of moisture, total ash, acid insoluble ash, water soluble extractive, ethanol soluble extractive and fixed oil were found to be 7.79 ± 0.85, 5.26 ± 1.00, 1.40 ± 0.84, 14.90 ± 3.43, 5.28 ± 0.94 and 3.80 ± 0.48 % w/w, respectively. One tested sample did not meet the suggested maximum amount of cadmium as stated in Thai Herbal Pharmacopoeia. The results of this study will be useful for setting up the physico-chemical specifications of dried Koi seed for the purpose of quality control of its crude drug thereinafter.