Pharmacognostic characterization of Myrica esculenta leaves

Myrica esculenta (Family: Myricaceae) commonly known as Kaiphala or Katphala is a widely used medicinal plant in Ayurveda. In spite of its numerous medicinal attributes, no published work is available till date on pharmacognostical characterization and HPTLC analysis of its leaves.

To investigate the pharmacognostical, physicochemical, and HPTLC profiles of M. esculenta leaves.

The measures taken for pharmacognostical characterization were organoleptic study, macroscopy, microscopy, powder microscopy, leaf constant, fluorescence analysis, preliminary phytochemical screening and HPTLC spectra profile.

Organoleptic and macroscopic studies found that leaves are lancoelate, thin, spirally arranged, dark green in color, with an astringent taste and acute apex. In transverse section, cuticularised epidermis having polygonal cells were found. Mesophyll cells were differentiated into single layered palisade cells on each surface and 2-3 layered spongy parenchyma, unicellular and uniseriate hollow trichomes, anomocytic stomata and bowl shaped vascular bundle in mid rib portion containing xylem and phloem tissues. Alkaloids, carbohydrates, flavonoids, glycosides, phenolic compounds and tannins were found present. Analysis on the leaf constants, powder microscopy, fluorescence characteristics and physical parameters resulted a valuable data to establish standards for the plant. HPTLC profile provides number of constituents present in the extracts with their respective Retention Factor (R_f).

Present report on pharmacognostical characterization and HPTLC analysis of M. esculenta leaves provides a vital diagnostic tool for identification, authentication and development of quality parameters of the species. Data obtained by present study may be considered as standard for future studies.