FOLIAR MICRO-MORPHOLOGY AND PHYTOCHEMICAL STATUS OF LEEA GUINEENSIS G. DON LEAVES

Leea guineensis G. Don leaves are known to contain some active compounds that certify its usage as a medicinal plant. The establishment of a comprehensive pharmacognostic profile of L. guineensis leaves will help in the standardization of quality and proper identification. Evaluation of the fresh and powdered leaves was carried out using standard methods to determine the macro-morphological, micro-morphological (both the qualitative and quantitative), chemo-microscopic and phytochemical profiles. The result obtained shows that macroscopically, the leaf was simple, opposite and entire in shape, having a cylindrical and undulating edge with a hard and smooth texture. The internodes are short with a spot of pink colour at the interval nodes (nodules). It has a simple trunk without thorns with a granular fracture surface. The colour is pale green when young and deep green at maturity. Microscopically, the stomata were paracytic on the abaxial and absent on the adaxial. The epidermal cells are irregular and rectangular, the epidermis possesses straight anticlinal walls and is slightly undulating both on the abaxial and adaxial epidermis. Trichomes are not present on both epidermises, while crystals are present on the abaxial epidermis. The stomata index (18.87%) was calculated for abaxial, the mean cell length (43.46 and 43.89) and width (30.50 and 31.61) was comparably similar for both abaxial and adaxial epidermis respectively. The number of stomata detected on the abaxial was 20. Chemo-microscopic characters present include Starch, Calcium carbonate crystals while lignin, fat, and mucilage were absent while phytochemical screening revealed that alkaloid, saponin, flavonoids, tannin, phenolics and anthraquinone were present. The foliar micro-morphological findings are of great importance in the proper and correct identification, standardization, and authentication of medicinal plants.