Ergastic Substances

Prepared by:Pooja Khanpara APIP, Jamnagar

Ergastic Substances or Cell Inclusions

Cell Inclusions are non-living substances present in the cells.

They are also called ergastic substances or ergastic bodies.

They may be present in soluble or insoluble state and can be organic or inorganic in nature.

These are present in components or sub-components of cell.

They are raw materials or products of metabolism.They may be exported or expelled from the cell.

The cell inclusions belong to three categories:-

1.Reserve food: carbohydrates, inulin, starch, cellulose, sugars, glycogen, proteins, aminoacids, fats & oil,

2.Excretory: Alkaloid, Glycosides, Tannins, resin, latex, Volatile oil, Mineral crystals

3.Secretory products: enzymes, coloring matter, nectar, vitamin, Hormones

Reserve foodThey are of four main types-Starch Glycogen (Protein)Fat dropletsAleurone grains

Starch grains occur in plant cells. The grains are found in chloroplasts and amyloplasts. As such they are insoluble. The grains may occur singly when they are called simple. They are called compound starch grains when two or more of them occur in amyloplasts.

Here SIMPLE STARCH grains of potato and wheat repectively

COMPOUND STARCH grains in avena and potato

Each starch grain has a central proteinaceous area called HILUM. Starch is deposited around it in the form of layers. Depending upon the position of hilum,a starch grain may be concentric or eccentric.

FAT DROPLETS: Fat droplets or globules occur abundantly inside the seeds either in endosperm(e.g., Castor,Coconut) or cotyledons(e.g., Groundnut,Mustard

ALEURONE GRAINS

They represent the storage proteins which are generally insoluble and occur inside special leucoplasts called aleuroplasts. Depending upon their internal structure,aleurone grains are of four types:

AmorphouusProtein matrix containing a crytalloid e.g., outer layer of endosperm in

wheat,maize,barley,grains.Protein matrix with globoidProtein matrix having both crytalloid and globoid

inclusion, e.g, endosperm cells of castor seeds.CRYSTALLOID is crystal like protein-carbohydrate

body while glboid contains lipid and phytin

EXCRETORY PRODUCTS:

They are of several types like:Essential oilsAlkaloidsResinsGumsTanninsWaxesLatex etc.

Tanniferous bodies are widely distributed in different parts of the plant body and they are particularly abundant in leaves,vascular tissues,periderm,unripe fruits,seed coat. They are small granular or rounded particles,yellow,red or brown in color.These phenolic compounds are commercially useful in tanning industry.

Other solid and semi-solid substances,such as oils,fats and waxes also occur frequently. Oils and fats are common reserve materials of seeds,while waxes occur usually as protective covering on the epidermis.

MINERAL MATTER(CRYSTALS)Crystals of different composition,which are byproducts

of the metabolic processes of the cells,occur in different parts of the plant.

Calcium oxalate crystals are most common in plants. Their shape varies considerably and may be

elongated,needle-like,rectangular,rhomboidal,sphaeroidal or prismatic.

The elongated crystals when occurring solitary are known as styloids and when in bundles they are called raphides.

Crystals of inorganic compounds, such as silica and gypsum although uncommon are also present in some plants.

In moneyplant,Needle-shapedRaphides appear as Scratches on slide.In Opuntia,arrangedIn the form of spheres- “Sphaeroraphides”

Silicon salts are often deposited in the cell walls of grasses. Cystoliths, which are internal outgrowth of cell wall occur in many plants.

e.g., FicusCalcium carbonateCrystals present inSacs-appear like bunch ofGrapes,”CYSTOLITH”

Chemical Group of Nature

TerpenoidGlycosidesTanninAlkaloidResinsLipids

Stass otto method

Powdered plant material (Crude Drug)

Continuous Hot Extraction with alcohol (Soxhlet)

Collect the Extract

Add Leadacetate to precipitate tannins

Filter and pass H2S gas

Filter and subject to fractional crystalization, distillation or chromatography

Pure Glycoside

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Chemical Identification:

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General test for steroids:

1. Liebermann’s test: compound + chloroform +equal amt. of acetic anhydride + Few drops of conc. H2SO4

Reddish violet Green

Test for Deoxysugars:

1. Keller-Kiliani’s Test: powder drug boil with 10 ml alcohol for 2 min. Filter it add 10 ml water, 0.5 ml lead acetate sol. Shake well & filtrate treated with chloroform residue treated with glacial acetic acid cool & add 2 drop of FeCl3 + 2 ml conc. H2SO4 on the wall of the tube

Acetic acid layer acquire Bluish-green colour (Digitalis)

Acetic acid layer acquire Red colour (Squill)

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Test for 5-membered lactone ring:

1. Legal’s test:

Drug is boil with little pyridine + few drops of Na nitroprusside + made alkaline(NaOH)→ deep pink to red colour.

2. Baljet test:Substance + sod. Picrate +alkaline → yellow orange colour

3. Kedde’s test : Drug + 1 drop of alcohol + 2 drop of 3,5 dinitrobenzoic acid (Kedde’s reagent A) + NaOH (Kedde’s reagent B) → violet(purple) colour.

4. Raymond Tests: Substance + 0.1 ml 1% sol. Of dinitro benzene in methanol + 2-3- drops of NaOH → voilet then change in blue colour.

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Xanthydrol test (deoxysugar):

Substance +xanthydrol reagent in acetic acid + 1% Hcl → Red color

Salkowaski test:

drug chloroform sol. + conc. H2SO4 → chloroform layer produce Red color

Tollen’s test:

extract + mixture of pyridine & ammonial silver nitrate → form of silver mirror on wall of test tube

Antimony trichloride test:

drug solution heated with antimony trichloride and trichloroacetic acid → blue or violate color

Resins

Tannin

Volatile oil (Terpenoids)

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