PHARMACOGNOSTIC AND ANATOMICAL STUDIES OF ANTIGONON LEPTOPUS HOOK. AND ARN.: A PROMISING MEDICINAL CLIMBER

The evaluation of quality and purity of crude drugs by means of various parameters is the most important aspect of pharmacognosy. The present study deals with pharmacognostic characterization of Antigonon leptopus Hook. and Arn. of the family Polygonaceae. The tubers of it are used by the tribal people as tonic and nutritious food. The parameters like micromorphological, anatomical, phytochemical and physical constants have been employed for the pharmacognostical evaluation of different parts of this plant. The stomata are of anisocytic type and amphistomatic. Stomatal indices are 11.08 and 12.13 in upper and lower surfaces respectively. Palisade ratio is 5.5. Trichomes are of both nonglandular and glandular types. Methanolic extracts of leaf indicate presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, anthraquinone, etc. Ash value and moisture content of the leaves were found to be 20.68% and 76% respectively. This study will provide some diagnostic features by which the crude drug of this plant can easily be identified.