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RESEARCH ARTICLE

Magnolia baillonii: A New Adulterant of Magnolia champaca


(Michelia champaca)
Nehru P1, Kannan R1*, Babu U V1
Abstract: Magnolia champaca (L.) Baill. ex Pierre (=Michelia champaca L.) called as campaka, hamapuapa in ayurveda, sampangi
poo in siddha or tamil. It belongs to the family magnoliaceae, native to the south east asian countries. The natural populations
are found predominantly in the evergreen and shola forests of the peninsular India. It is also planted throughout India for its
aesthetic and medicinal values. In some places it is one of the avenue trees. The flowers have anti-ulcer, anti-diabetic and anti-
inflammatory properties and used in the ailment of ulcer, skin diseases and wounds. It also famed for its aromatic volatile oil
from flowers, which is used in the perfume industry. Champaka flowers are one of the herbal substances used in indigenous
system of medicine and found as an herbal substance commercially. There is no report on the adulterations found in the market
sample of M. champaca. In the present study we report the flowers of Magnolia baillonii Pierre (Michelia baillonii (Pierre) Finet
and Gagnep.), as an adulterant found in market samples. Diagnostic and distinguishing characters are described to distinguish
them is also discussed. The authentic material is somewhat translucent and devoid of bracts whereas the spurious one is opaque
with abundant bracts.

INTRODUCTION compared with that of M. champaca for the easy


Magnolia champaca (L.) Baill. ex Pierre (=Michelia identification.
champaca L.) commonly known as Champaka belongs to
the family Magnoliaceae is an evergreen tree, native to RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Southeast Asian countries such as India, Sri Lanka, China, The bulk raw material of few batches of M. champaca was
Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand and different and does not matches with the reference standard
Vietnam. [1] It is also cultivated for its commercial and and description provided in Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of
aesthetic values derived from the evergreen foliage and the India. It was identified as flowers of Magnolia baillonii
medicinally important and strongly fragrant flowers. Pierre. (= Michelia baillonii (Pierre) Finet and Gagnep.),
Pharmacognostical and phytochemical studies revealed which is native to India, China, Cambodia, Miyanmar,
that the flowers are rich in volatile oils, polyphenols, sterols Thailand and Vietnam. In India, M. baillonii is reported from
such as esters of benzoic acid, benzaldehyde, benzyl alcohol North Eastern states like Assam, Mizoram and Arunachal
and isoeugenol sesquiterpene lactones and parthenolide. Pradesh. [1, 9-11] Whereas, M. champaca is found widely
The flower extract of M. champaca has antiulcer, anti- throughout India. [7-8]
diabetic and anti-inflamatory properties and hence used in
the ailment of ulcer, skin diseases and wounds. [2-5] Volatile Macroscopical Characters of M. champaca
oil distilled from the flowers is widely used in the perfume The bulk raw material consists of buds, opened flowers,
industry. Pharmacognostical authentication of any herbal detached or loose tepals, anthers and pedicels with short
substance is a routine process in herbal drug gynophore and gynoecium. Buds are up to 6 cm with a
manufacturing. Recently we have observed the small pedicel and compactly twisted tepals. Bulk raw
adulteration in the commercial samples of Magnolia material is somewhat reddish brown to yellowish brown.
champaca. In the present study we attempted to provide They are mildly aromatic but strongly aromatic on handling
simple keys based on the morphological characters to
or crushing. The fragile tepals are translucent, crumpled,
differentiate Magnolia champaca from the adulterant.
mild brown to reddish brown, papery, with undulate
margin. Outer tepals are up to 6 cm long and around 1 cm
MATERIALS AND METHODS
in width, whereas, inner tepals are thinner, smaller and
The market samples of Magnolia champaca were
more transparent. Pedicel is small, up to 10 mm long,
purchased from various suppliers throughout India.
muddy to mild brown, woody, stout, with a small
Pharmacognostical characters described in Ayurvedic
gynophores and cone shaped gynoecium.
Pharmacopeia of India were checked for the authenticity of
the procured material. [6] Morphological characters
Macroscopical Characters of M. baillonii
described earlier [1, 7, 8] are also used to verify the
The bulk raw material consists of buds, opened flowers,
genuineness of the market samples. Information on the
distribution and habitat of M. champaca and the bracts, detached tepals, anthers and pedicels with short
adulterant species were collected from floras to find out gynophore and gynoecium. Buds are up to 8 cm with a
plausible reasons for the adulteration. The macroscopical small pedicel and compactly twisted tepals. Bulk material
characters of the adulterant species was described and almost lacks aroma or very mild in aroma while handling
and crushing. Bracts are abundant, spathaceous, brownish
in outer and yellowish to buff in inner, smooth in texture,
1Pharmacognosy Department, R&D Center, The Himalaya Drug Company, fragile, papery, various sizes, almost a half-circle or elliptic
Bangalore-562162, Karnataka, India.
E-mail: dr.kannan@himalayahealthcare.com or oblong or a dome like, slightly curved, irregularly
*Corresponding author compressed, with acute tips and flat base. Margins are re-

Inventi Rapid: Planta Activa Vol. 2014, Issue 2 1 2014 ppa 339, CCC: $10 Inventi Journals (P) Ltd
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RESEARCH ARTICLE

Magnolia champaca (L.) Baill. ex Pierre Magnolia baillonii Pierre


Figure 1: Market sample of the flowers of M. champaca and M. baillonii

Table 1: Difference Between the Market Samples of the Flowers of M. champaca and M. baillonii

S. No. Characters Magnolia champaca Magnolia bailonii


1 Bulk material Reddish brown flowers Dark brown flowers
Mild and pleasant, but stronger on handling Almost nil or insignificant when handling or
2 Aroma
or crushing crushing
3 Bracts Absent Present and also abundant
4 Pedicel Stout and thick Slender and thin
9 15 per flower. Nearly translucent, 18 21 per flower. Opaque, dark to blackish
5 Tepals
Reddish or yellowish brown brown

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Inventi Rapid: Planta Activa Vol. 2014, Issue 2 2 2014 ppa 339, CCC: $10 Inventi Journals (P) Ltd
[ISSN 2278-411X] Published on Web 03/04/2014, www.inventi.in
RESEARCH ARTICLE

11. Hajra P K, Verma D M, Giri G S. Materials for the Flora of


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Acknowledgments
We thank Dr. Shyam Ramakrishnan, Chief scientific Officer,
Himalaya Drug Company for his constant support and
encouragement.

Cite this article as: Nehru P, Kannan R, Babu U V.


Magnolia baillonii: A New Adulterant of Magnolia
champaca (Michelia champaca). Inventi Rapid: Planta
Activa, 2014(2): 1-3, 2014.

Inventi Rapid: Planta Activa Vol. 2014, Issue 2 3 2014 ppa 339, CCC: $10 Inventi Journals (P) Ltd
[ISSN 2278-411X] Published on Web 03/04/2014, www.inventi.in

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