Pharmacognostical standardization of leaves of Alangium lamarckii Thwaites

Alangium lamarckii Thwaites is traditionally found to be useful for many ailments. The present study highlights the pharmacognostical as well as phytochemical studies including parameters such as macroscopic, microscopic characters, physiochemical evaluation and preliminary phytochemical studies of the leaves. Morphological studies revealed leaves were varying in length and breadth from 7 to12 cm in length and 2 to 5 cm in width. Some diagnostic characters are presence of unicellular covering trichrome varying in length from 54 μm to 150 μm, presence of branched sclerides and prism of calcium oxalate varying in size from 11x 7μm to 18x 11μm. The various physico-chemical standards and their percentage w/w were found to be total ash (7.62%), acid insoluble ash (1.66%), water soluble ash (2.11%), alcohol soluble extractive value (18.24%), water soluble extractive value (27.36%) and loss on drying (13.01%). Preliminary phytochemical investigation showed the presence of alkaloids, phenols, tannins, triterpenoids, phytosterols, amino acids and carbohydrates. Total phenolic content by Folin-Ciocalteu method is found to be 150.62 mg/g equivalent to gallic acid. Total alkaloid content quantified by gravimetric method was found to be 1.114% w/w. TLC studies on leaf of A. lamarckii has been carried out. These observations will help in identification and standardization of the drug in the crude form and also to distinguish the drug from its adulterants.