Pharmacognostical Physicochemical and Phytochemical Investigation on Leaves and Stem Bark of Ficus Dalhousiae Miq. (moraceae)

Ficus dalhousiae Miq.(Family:Moraceae) known as Somalvalkam in Sanskrit is an endemic to peninsular India and very rare plant of Andhra Pradesh. It is found growing in rock crevices of dry deciduous forest. It is used in traditional system of Indian medicine in the treatment of liver disorders and cardiac problems Ficus species are rich source of flavonoids and polyphenolic compounds that are responsible for the treatment of oxidative stress related diseases. As there are no reports available on the morphology and phytochemical studies of the leaves and stem bark of Ficus dalhousiae, the present investigation was carried out to lay down the standards, which could be very useful in the future experimental studies. The study includes macroscopy, microscopy, preliminary phytochemical screening, fluorescence analysis and physicochemical constants. The chief features of the transverse section of leaves are the presence of single layered palisade layer, cyclic stomata, druses of calcium oxalate and vascular bundles. Stem bark shows prismatic calcium oxalate, high tannin content in periderm, abundant starch. The main powder characters are calcium oxalate, unicellular covering trichomes, isolated cystoliths, laticifers. The preliminary phytochemical screening shows the presence of steroids, cardiac glycosides, alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins and carbohydrates. This study along with the quantitative microscopic data can be useful in the detection and evaluation of the leaf and stem bark material in any form or formulations of this rare and endemic species.