Pharmacognostic study and development of quality parameters of Hamelia patens jacq

Hamelia patens Jacq. (Rubiaceae) is an ornamental plant grown almost worldwide in warm, moist areas. Firebush is used in herbal medicine to treat athlete’s foot, skin lesions and insect bites, nervous shock, inflammation, rheumatism, headache, asthma, and dysentery. Also, the plants are used in folk medicine against a range of ailments. Present study deals with to establish pharmacognostic, physiochemical and phytochemical standards of Hamelia patens stems. Microscopical evaluation of Hamelia patens young stems showed the presence of covering trichomes, epidermis and other characteristics while mature stems showed cork, phellogen, stone cells, medullary rays, xylem vessel, xylem parenchyma, phellogen fibers, cortex, coloring matter and starch grains. Results of Hamelia patens stems yielded 2.182 % w/w total ash; acid insoluble ash not more than 0.217% w/w, water soluble ash not more than 1.067 w/w, alcohol extractive value not more than 5.324 % w/w (Hot extraction), 4.283 % w/w (Cold maceration) & water extractive value not more than 8.323% w/w (Hot extraction), 6.169% w/w (Cold maceration) and 5.26 % w/w total moisture content by LOD. The Phytochemical investigation of extracts of stems of Hamelia patens shows the presence of sterols, triterpenes, alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, glycosides, proteins and carbohydrate Pharmacognostical and phytochemical parameters determined in the present work can serve as major criteria for identity, quality and purity of a crude drug and extracts.