Pharmacognostical Evaluation and Establishment of Quality Parameters of Medicinal Plants of North-East India used by Folklore Healers for Treatment of Hypertension

North-East india is in two biodiversity hotspots (Indo-Burma & Himalayan) in world map and the indigenous medicinal plants grown in the North - East India are useful folk medicines used by the people of this region. Prunus persica (L) Batsch and Clerodendrum colebrookianum Walp widely distributed in North-East India are popular folk medicine for the treatment of hypertension. The present investigation deals with the qualitative and quantitative microscopic evaluation of the leaf material and establishmentof itsquality parameters, including physicochemical and phytochemical evaluation. Chief characters of transverse section include primary and secondary vascular bundles surrounded by single layer endidermal cells in both the plants. In microscopic characters it is found that the anisocytic stomata surrounded by three subsidiary cells of which one markedly smaller than other in lower epidermal, but no stomata was found in upper epidermal of Prunus persica and the anomocytic stomata surrounded by varying number of cells in both upper and lower epidermis. The diagnostic characters of powders viz. sclerencnymatous fibres, sptocrophide or calcium oxalate crystals, starch grains, xylem vessels were found in Prunus persica and trichome, xylem vessel, phloem fiber, lignified fiber, epidermal cell in Clerodendrum colebrookianum. Various physicochemical parameters were also established. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of many therapeutically important classes of phytoconstituents such as reducing sugar, proteins, steroid, cardiac-glycoside, flavonoids, tannins and saponins. The present investigation was also aimed at justifying the antioxidant potential of the leaves extracts of the plant that may contribute antihypertensive activity of plant.