Pharmacognostical and Phytochemical Evaluation of Leaves of Bauhinia variegata Linn.

Bauhinia variegata Linn. (Caesalpiniaceae) syn: kovidara and kachnar is a medium sized deciduous tree generally found in sub Himalayan region of India. Almost all parts of this plant are used in traditional medicine for the treatment of various ailments. The present work was undertaken to establish the pharmacognostic and phytochemical standards along with HPTLC densitometric analysis of leaves for evaluating the plant material. The macro and microscopical studies indicated presence of pulvinus base with grooved petiolate leaf, emarginated apex, rough surface with 11-13 reticulate and palmate-divergent venation with scattered prismatic calcium oxalate crystals throughout the transverse section. Physiochemical studies revealed that total ash is 9.42%, acid insoluble ash is 5.72%, water-soluble extractive value is 3.30% and loss on drying at 105 °C is 6.27%. Preliminary phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of alkaloid, tannin, flavonoid, steroid, triterpenoid and saponin in different extracts. HPTLC fingerprinting for flavonoids revealed presence of two flavonoids rutin and kaempferol. The results of the study could be useful in setting some diagnostic indices for the identification and preparation of a monograph of the plant.