Abstract

PHARMACOGNOSTIC EVALUATION AND PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF LEAVES OF BRACHYSTELMA EDULIS COLL. AND HELMSL.

Seema Rajaram More* and Varsha Jadhav

ABSTRACT

study of leaf of Brachystelma edulis Coll. and Helmsl. was undertaken. B. edulis is a wild edible plants belongs to family Asclepiadaceae. The present work deals with the macroscopical and microscopical study including ash, powder behaviour investigation, fluorescence and phytochemical analysis were done. Total ash content 12 % in the leaf. The fluorescence of the leaf powders on exposure to UV light appears green and day light on aq. NaOH it appears yellowish green. Powder behaviour indicates presence of tannin, xanthoprotein, starch, steroids, glycosides and flavonoides. Paracytic and anomocytic stomata present on both the leaf surfaces while lower stomatal index (7.69±0.04) is higher than the upper stomatal index (5.37±0.47). Preliminary phytochemical analysis showing presence of flavones, tannins, coumarins, reducing sugars, xanthoprotein, glycosides and amino acid.

Keywords: Brachystelma edulis, leaf, Pharmacognosy.