Starch and Ca-Oxalate
Starch and Ca-Oxalate
Faculty of pharmacy
Pharmacognosy & Phytochemistry lab
Eman Al-Shahrori
Experiment 2
Microscopical identification for starch & Calcium oxalate
crystals.
Starch is generally a mixture of two structurally different polysaccharides:
4- Tablet disintegrant.
It is insoluble in cold water, but it forms a colloidal solution upon boiling with
about 15 times its weight of water. The solution forms a translucent jelly on
cooling.
A starch mucilage is colored deep blue with solution of iodine. The color
disappears on heating, but it reappears on cooling.
When starch is heated with water, the granules first swell and then undergo
gelatinization.
Maize starch is neutral, but other commercial starches show an acid (wheat and
potato) or alkaline (rice) reaction.
Macroscopical characteristics for different types of starch
Maize starch White No diff. No diff. Smooth No diff. Starchy then sweet
Potato starch Off-white No diff. No diff. Smooth No diff. Starchy then sweet
Rice starch White No diff. No diff. Smooth No diff. Starchy then sweet
Microscopical characteristics:
They should be mounted with water or Smith's reagent. The size, shape and
structure of starch granules from any particular plant vary within definite limits,
so that it is possible to distinguish between starches derived from different
species.
Different types of calcium oxalate crystals with various shapes can be used as
a diagnostic element for plant identification.
• Raphides: Squill.
Idioplast : the cells containing calcium oxalate differ from those which don’t
contain calcium oxalate in size, form or content, and are often called.
Practical part (2):
Clear different plant powders using chloralhydrate solution and examine the
various types of calcium oxalate crystals.
Reagent used:
Chloralhydrate + Phloroglucinol/HCl
Reagent used:
Chloralhydrate.
Plant used: Rhubarb powder.