PHARMACOGNOSTICAL PHARMACOLOGICAL AND TOXICOLOGICAL EVALUATIONS OF TRICHOSANTHES ANGUINA LINN

Abstract

This study is an attempt to establish the complete pharmacognostical, pharmacological and toxicological evaluations of Trichosanthes anguinaLinn(T. anguina)family Cucurbitaceae, an important plant in the Indian system of medicine. Evaluations of ethnomedicinal herb, T. anguinawere investigated for its pharmacognostical standardization includes detection by morpho-micro, physico-chemical and preliminary phytochemical parameters. As an aim of profound scientific evidences on ethnomedicinal use of T. anguina, various extracts of plant were screened for the pharmacological evaluation with special reference to hepatoprotective and antioxidant activity and its toxicological effects was carried out. Pharmacognostical standardization includes detection by morpho-micro, physico-chemical data indicates plant information useful towards establishing standards for quality, purity and for their proper identification, authenticity and scientific data for compilation of monograph. Preliminary phytochemical analysis of T. anguinaindicated chemical nature as a contributing factor and its correlation with their bio-evaluation. Pharmacological evaluation with special reference to hepatoprotective and antioxidant activity revealed plant exhibit significant hepatoprotection and its toxicological evaluation with acute and chronic screening revealed T. anguinaroot extract free from toxicity within permissible dosage. The plant, T. anguinawas evaluated and the data generated provide scientific basis for its therapeutic use in traditional medicine. newline