Pharmacognostical Phytochemical and Pharmacological Investigation of Machilus macrantha nees

Abstract

The highlights of the present research work are as follows: In the present study, the leaf and stem bark of Machilus macrantha Nees. (Lauraceae) were collected and subjected for the Pharmacognosy, Phytochemical and Pharmacological studies. The leaf and bark studied for their Macroscopy and Microscopy. The important macroscopical and microscopical characters were recorded. Physicochemical properties of the leaf and bark were determined and recorded. The results of present study on pharmacognostic standardization might be useful to identify and decide the authenticity of this drug in herbal industry or trade and this can be included as microscopic standards in official books like Herbal Pharmacopoeia. Preliminary phytochemical investigation of plant parts such as leaves and barks of Machilus macrantha indicated the resence of therapeutically useful phytoconstituents like alkaloids, steroids, terpenoids, tannins and mucilages. Three fractions such as USM, TAF and CTF were obtained from petroleum ether, chloroform and methanol extract of stem bark of the plant respectively. Phytochemical analysis of fractions such as USM, TAF and CTF has shown the positive test for steroids, alkaloids and tannins respectively. Three compounds were isolated as and#946;-sitosterol from USM as well as catechin and quercetin from CTF using column chromatographic method. Pharmacological studies of three isolated fractions such as USM, TAF and CTF of the stem bark of plant were carried out. USM shows significant anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic activity might be due to and#946;-sitosterol and other steroids, TAF has shown promising result in anti-asthmatic and anti-hypertensive activity might be due to alkaloids, whereas CTF is exhibited significant antioxidant activity in all in experimental methods, when compared with standard, L-Ascorbic acid (AA) and Butylated Hydroxyl Anisole (BHA). Thus there is further need to study phytoconstituents at molecular level and find out their exact mechanism of action for various therapeutic properties.