Pharmacognostic and Phytochemical Investigations in Strychnos potatorum Linn . F .

Objective: To investigate the pharmacognostic and preliminary phytochemical characteristics of leaves of an endangered medicinally important forest tree species Strychnos potatorum. Methods: Pharmacognostic and phytochemical investigations were conducted in terms of macroscopic, microscopic, physicochemical and preliminary phytochemical parameters. Results: The macro and microscopic study revealed that leaves are simple, petiolated, glabrous, dorsiventrally differentiated, hypostomatic, without trichomes and with conjoint, bi-collateral, exarch vascular bundles which are surrounded by sclereids on all sides. These leaves showed the presence of fibers, parenchyma, xylem vessels and amphibrachyparacytic stomata. This crude drug (leaf powder) showed the characteristic physicochemical values like 3.5% (total ash), 2.8% (water soluble ash), 0.5 % (acid insoluble ash), and 3.4% (moisture content). Leaf powder showed the characteristic fluorescence when treated with different reagents which supported results of phytochemical studies. Preliminary phytochemical investigations in leaf powder showed the presence of alkaloids, glycosides, tannins, flavonoids, sterols, triterpinoids, phenols, quinones, saponins and absence of fats and oils. Conclusions: Various pharmacognostic and preliminary phytochemical characters observed in this may help in standardization, identification and carrying out further research in S. potatorum leaf based drugs used in Ayurveda and also in modern pharmacopoeia.