EVALUATION OF RED TAMARIND (Tamarindus indica var. rhodocarpa) PULP EXTRACT ON PHYTO-HISTOLOGICAL STUDIES UNDER FLUORESCENT MICROSCOPE

With the increasing demand for natural colorants as an alternative to synthetic stains, phytochemicals are gaining more attention. Natural stains from plant sources are cost effective, eco-friendly and bio-degradable. This study reveals the staining potential of red tamarind pulp extract (RTPE) on monocot and dicot stem tissue sections using bright-field and fluorescence microscopy. Phytochemicals were extracted from pre-dried immature red tamarind fruits using water and alcohol. Anthocyanins are characteristic red pigments and were observed more in both ethanol and methanol in comparison to its corresponding aqueous extract in water. Three excitation filters (Ultraviolet 330-380 nm; blue 450-490 nm; green 510-560 nm) and three mordants: potassium dichromate (K2Cr2O7), copper sulphate (CuSO4) and ferrous sulphate (FeSO4) were used to examine the plant tissue sections. RTPE with mordant elicits bright blue and orange to yellow fluorescence excitation of vascular bundles in violet and blue filter respectively. Hence RTPE can be deployed as a fluorescent dye to comprehend the plant cell component with higher precision and resolution.