Standard microscopic slide preparation technique as a new and useful tool for analyzing mucilage content in marshmallow root

Abstract

Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis L.) root is used as a drug in medicine, pharmaceutical, cosmetic as well as in food products, due to the content of mucilage with a broad range of physicochemical properties. Since mucilage content in roots depends on genotype and growing conditions, the quality control is, therefore, one of the major tasks in the rational use of the drug. In this paper we compare data for mucilage content in roots obtained by standard procedure which implies measuring of swelling ratio in dried samples, with anatomical features of roots obtained by different methods for anatomical analysis, and we have shown that anatomical method could be used for determination of mucilage content in marshmallow root.