Taxonomic and Pharmacognostic Evaluation of Leaf of Mussaenda philippica. (Rubiaceae)

Mussaenda philippica Linn. (Rubiaceae) a very important medicinal plant in the treatment of appendicitis and hepatitis as the locals use the species with the white flower. The objective of the study determines various taxonomic and pharmacognostic standards helpful to ensure the identity, purity, safety and efficacy of the medicinal plant, M. phillipica. The leaves were collected, identified, air dried and pulverized. Standard procedures were carried out to obtain microscopic features of the fresh and powdered samples, micromeritic, chemomicroscopy, flourescence properties, soluble extractive values, moisture contents and ash values. The results of the microscopy study of the fresh leaf revealed hypostomatic distribution of stomata with paracytic stomata on the abaxial surface of the leaf only, stomatal number of 56.8, stomatal index of 25.06%, and epidermal number of 169.8, while the adaxial surface had an epidermal number of 241.9. The plant sample of the leaf also possessed unicellular trichomes. Micromeritic properties of the powdered leaf samples showed bulk volume of 35.33±0.33, tapped volume of 28.00±0.00, bulk density of 0.28±0.00, tapped density of 0.35±0.00, angle of repose of 35.4°, Carr’s Index of 20.90±0.74, Hausner’s ratio of 1.26±0.01. Chemomicroscopy study on the leaf powder revealed the presence of lignin, starch, cellulose, calcium oxalate crystals, oil, mucilage and protein. The moisture content was 11 %w/w. Results for the total ash, acid-insoluble ash and water-soluble ash values were 9 %w/w, 1%w/w and 5 %w/w respectively. Results for the ethanol-soluble, methanol-soluble and water-soluble extractive values were 18%w/w, 17 %w/w and 25 %w/w respectively. The above results could be used to establish pharmacopoeial standard of fresh and powdered drug of M. philippica.