Pharmacognostical and high performance thin layer chromatography studies on leaves of Clerodendrum infortunatum L.

BACKGROUND: Clerodendrum infortunatum L. commonly known as Bhant plays a significant role in Indian System of Medicine, that is, Ayurveda, due to its medicinal properties. It grows easily in waste places of all areas of India, Bangladesh, and Myanmar.

AIM: The present study was carried out with a view to lay down its pharmacognostic standards along with high-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) studies in order to document/validate its therapeutic benefits.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this research, leaves of C. infortunatum were subjected to pharmacognostic evaluation parameters such as macroscopy, quantitative microscopy, physicochemical studies, phytochemical screening. HPTLC has been developed for detection and quantification of gallic acid and tyrosine in C. infortunatum. Increasing serial dilutions of reference standard gallic acid (20-100 μg/mL) and tyrosine (20-100 μg/mL) were scanned at 254 nm and 280 nm, respectively.

RESULTS: Microscopy of leaf revealed the presence of anisocytic stomata, sclereids, glandular and covering trichome, and prisms of calcium oxalate crystal. The total ash, water-soluble, and acid insoluble ash values of leaves were 9.95%, 2.15%, and 0.70%, respectively. The maximum extractive value of crude powder was in the water. HPTLC studies revealed that the amount of gallic acid in the crude powder of test sample were high (0.244 mg/g) in comparison to tyrosine (0.081 mg/g).

CONCLUSION: The data generated would be of significant use for the authentication of drug and would also serve as a reference for the standardization and quality control of C. infortunatum.