Pharmacognostical and Preliminary Phytochemical Studies of Leaves of Memecylon edule Roxb (Melastomataceae)
N. Dorababu1,
Saritha Kodithala2*, B. Uma Mahesh3
1Department of
Pharmacognosy and Phyto chemistry, Division, AU Pharmaceutical sciences, Andhra University, Vishakhapatnam -530003, AP, India.
2Department of
Pharmacognosy, Nizam Institute of Pharmacy, Deshmukhi, Nalgonda.
3Department of Pharmacology,
St.Johns College of Pharmacy, Emmiganur,
Kurnool.
ABSTRACT:
The present study is designed to determine the Pharmacognostical
and preliminary phytochemical studies of Memecylon edule. Roxb (Melastomataceae). Pharmacognostical studies involve the Microscopy- transverse
section of leaf, powder analysis, phyto chemical
studies revealed the
presence of carbohydrates, gums and mucilage, tannins and saponins. Physico chemical
evaluation includes ash values, extractive values, moisture content, fluorescence analysis. These findings will be useful towards
establishing standards on identification, purity, quality and classification of
the plant, which is gaining relevance in the plant drug research.
KEYWORDS: Memecylon edule, Melastomataceae,
Pharmacognostical studies, Physicochemical
evaluation, preliminary phytochemical screening
INTRODUCTION:
Memecylon edule (Melastomataceae) is a small evergreen
tree native to India, especially the Deccan Plateau, including most of
Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and parts of Tamil Nadu. Common names include kaayam, delek bangas, delek air, miat, and nemaaru. The tree grows on
rocky soils and blooms once or twice per year. The fruit is about a centimeter
long and green, turning red then black as it ripens. The tree has a thin bark,
so it is sometimes also called nipis kulit or "thin-skinned" in Malay. This
tree is valued as an ornamental and a source of wood for construction. The
leaves are thick and leathery. They contain glucosides,
resins, colouring pigments, gums, starches, and malic acid. They are rich in aluminum. Yellow color dye can
be extracted. Leaves and roots are used as a medicine for dysentery and as an
astringent.(1-4)
Fruits of this plant were act as a cooling
astringent and leaves were used for the treatment of anti leucorrhoeic,
spasmolytic, hypoglycaemic
and lotion prepared from leaves was used for ophthalmia
and conjuctivities. A decoction prepared from leaves
of Memecylon edule
was used internally for gonorrhea. Roots of this plant were used for
excessive menstrual discharge (5). Leaves of M. edule
have strong anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity (6). A survey concerning the secondary
metabolites of Memecylon edule showed the presence of flavonoids
and triterpenes in crude ethyl acetate extract of
leaves and no biological report was present in the literature, an old phytochemical study of this whole Memecylon
genus evidenced the presence of 13 fatty acids, 12 methyltetradeconate,
glucose, amino acids, carotenoids,
a phenolic glycoside and possibly undefined saponins. The chloroform and ethyl acetate extracts were
also evaluated for antimicrobial activity(7,8). It was reported that four sequential extract
of M.edule obtained with hexane, ethyl
acetate, ethanol and 50% ethanol were studied for it Anti inflammatory and
analgesic activities.(9), and evaluated that petroleum ether, chloroform and
ethanol extract of Memycelon malabaricum
leaves were tested for anti microbial activity(10). It was found that oral
administration of an alcoholic extract of the leaves of Memecylon umbellatum led to a significant lowering
of serum glucose levels in normal and alloxan induced
diabetic mice.(11, 12), free radical scavenging activity (13), significant lowering of serum glucose
levels (14, 15,16). The present study is designed to
determine the Pharmacognostical and preliminary phytochemical studies of Memecylon
edule. Roxb (Melastomataceae)
MATERIALS
AND METHODS:
Collection
and Authentication of the leaf material
The plant material for the proposed
study leaves were collected from Thirupathi, Chittoor district,
Andhra Pradesh, selected healthy plant leaves were authenticated by
the Botanist Dr. P. Jayaraman (MSc., Ph. D),
Director, Plant Anatomy Research Center (PARC), Medicinal Plant Research Unit, Tambaram, Chennai. The leaves of the plant were shade dried
and ground to get coarse powder.
Table
no 1: Microscopic studies of the leaf Memecylon edule. Roxb
Ab E- Abaxial epidermis, Abs- Abaxial side,
Ad G- Adaxial groove, Ads- Adaxial
side;
Ep- Epidermis, MT- Mesophyll
tissue, Ph- Phloem, Sc- Sclerenchyma, X- Xylem,
EC- Epidermal
cells, Dr-Druses, MT- Mesophyll tissue, SC-Subsidiary
cells, St- Stomata.
MICROSCOPICAL
STUDIES24, 25
Microscopical techniques provide
detailed information about the crude drugs by virtue of its two main analytical
uses. Firstly, its property to magnify permits the fine structures of minute
objects to be visualized and thereby confirm the structural details of the
plant drugs under evaluations.
Table
no 2: Determination of leaf constants
|
S.No |
Parameter
studied |
Total
No. |
|
1
2 |
Stomatal
Number Upper surface Lower surface Stomatal index Upper surface Lower surface |
110 12 5 5.13- 10.13 6.11- 11.84 |
Secondly, these
techniques can be used in the determination of the optical as well as
micro-chemical properties of the crude drug specimen under study. Showed in Table no 1 and 2.
PHARMACOGNOSTICAL STUDIES OF WHOLE
LEAF18-22
Preparation of leaf extract: leaf were shade
dried, made into powder and soxhlet extractor used
for the extraction. Aqueous (MWE-8.4g) and alcoholic(MAE-6.3g)
extracts were prepared for the activity.
Table no 3: Physico-chemical constants of leaf powder of M. edule
|
S. No. |
Parameters |
%(w/w) |
|
1. 2. 3. |
Ash values Total ash Acid insoluble ash Water soluble ash Sulphated ash Extractive values Alcoholic-soluble extractives Water- soluble extractives Loss on drying |
11.8 % 1.90 % 8.80 % 7.03 % 12.58 % 28.80 % 89.6 % |
Table No 4:
Fluorescence analysis of M. edule
leaf powder on treatment with different chemical reagents in UV and visible light.
|
S.No. |
Powder + Reagents |
Visible light |
UV light |
|
1. |
Powder alone |
Green |
Light green |
|
2. |
Powder+ 50% HNO3 |
Brown |
Dark brown |
|
3. |
Powder+ 1N HCl |
Green |
Green |
|
4. |
Powder+ 1N NaOH
(Aque.) |
Light |
Light brown |
|
5. |
Powder+ 1N NaOH
(Alc.) |
Dark green |
Black |
|
6. |
Powder+ 5% Fecl3 |
Brown |
Reddish brown |
Determination of total ash, water soluble ash, acid insoluble ash, sulphated ash, loss on drying, alcohol soluble extractive,
water soluble extractive. All the physicochemical
constituents results were tabulated in Table no.3.
Determination of fluorescent analysis data showed in Table No. 4 and the observations of the Preliminary Phytochemical
screening of the leaf extract were shown in Table No.5.
Table
no 5: Preliminary phytochemical screening of the leaves extract
of M. edule.
|
Test |
Aqueous Extract |
Methanolic extract |
|
Alkaloids |
_ |
_ |
|
Carbohydrates |
+ |
+ |
|
Glycosides |
+ |
+ |
|
Phytosterols |
- |
- |
|
Fixed oils |
- |
- |
|
Saponins |
+ |
+ |
|
Tannins |
+ |
+ |
|
Proteins and Amino acids |
_ |
_ |
|
Gums and Mucilage |
+ |
+ |
|
Flavonoids |
_ |
_ |
|
Triterpenes |
- |
- |
RESULTS:
Microscopic studies of the leaf (17)
The leaf is thick, leathery with smooth and
even defocus. The midrib has wide shallow adaxial
concavity and slight convex abaxial side (fig 1), the midrib is 1.3mm thick is vertical axis and 1.2mm in
horizontal axis.
Lamina
The lamina is uniform thickness it is 500
micrometer thick. The adaxial epidermis as square
shaped, thick walled cells with thick cuticle (fig 2).
Sclerides
Sclerides of
varying shape and size are abundant in the leaf, they are long and filiform,
irregular globed, occur beneath the epidermis and parallel to the surface(fig
3,4,8)
Crystal distribution
Calcium oxalate crystals are abundant in the leaf, they
are spheroid crystals are located along the lower border of the lamina and
above the epidermis(fig 5,6,9)
Stomata
In the adaxial side stmota
have short elliptical with guard cells. The stomata are paracytic
type, each stomata 2 parallel subsidiary cells, one on
either side of the guard cells. The epidermal cells are rectangular in outline
and they have simple pits (fig 7)
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSSION:
The correct identity of the crude herbal material or the botanical
quality is of prime importance in establishing the quality control of an herbal
drug. Quality
control of herbal drugs has traditionally been based on appearance and today
microscopic evaluation is indispensable in the initial identification of herbs
as well as in identifying small fragments of crude or powdered herbs (26-30).
In the present work the plant material used was subjected to pharmacognostical evaluation as a tool of standardization
which included anatomical studies of whole leaf and powder determination of
leaf constituents (Stomatal Number-Upper surface:110,
Lower surface:125, Stomatal index-Upper surface:
5.13- 10.13, Lower surface: 6.11- 11.84). Physicochemical constituents of the leafAsh values-Total ash: 11.8 %, Acid insoluble ash: 1.90%, Water
soluble ash: 8.80 %, Sulphated ash: 7.03 %. Extractive values-Alcoholic-soluble
extractives: 12.58 %
These findings will be useful towards establishing standards on
identification, purity, quality and classification of the plant, which is
gaining relevance in the plant drug research.
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Received on 16.10.2012
Modified on 25.10.2012
Accepted on 11.11.2012
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Research
Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry. 5(1): January–February
2013, 30-33