Pharmacognostic and physicochemical characterisation of potential plants for antidiabetic herbal formulations

Abstract

In recent years, mankind has relied largely on herbal medicines to treat a variety of ailments. The aim of the current study is to investigate the pharmacognostic and physicochemical characterisation of some medicinal plants such as Bambusa balcooa (leaf) (BBL), Phyllanthus emblica (fruit) (PEF), Hodgsonia heteroclita (fruit pulp) (HHP), and Punica granatum (fruit peel) (PGP) used by the local Bodo tribe for the treatment of diabetes, which can be combined together to develop a novel polyherbal formulation. The preliminary phytochemical screening, microscopic evaluation, organoleptic and flow properties and qualitative heavy metal estimation was carried out usimng standard protocols. The preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the existence of carbohydrates, phenolics, alkaloids in all. However, amino acids were present in P. granatum and P. emblica, whereas triterpenoids were inferred in P. officinalis. Microscopical analysis of crude showed the presence of stone cells (BBL, HHP and PGP), xylem (PEF, HHP and PGP), trichome (PGP), fibres (all) and epidermis (PEF). The macroscopical study of crushed powder was overall acceptable to sense organs. The physical evaluation of flow properties was found to be good for P. emblica fruit when compared to others which was fair to passable. The heavy metal test showed the absence of bismuth, cadmium and lead in all species. Accordingly, the results obtained from the study is endowed with essential information for the authentication and quality assessment of these herbal drugs.