MORPHOANATOMICAL AND PHYSICO-CHEMICAL STUDIES OF ANNONA RETICULATA, A COMMON SUBSTITUTE FOR ANNONA SQUAMOSA

The leaves of Annona reticulate Linn. (Annonaceae), commonly known as Bullock’s heart, are frequently used as a substitute for Annona squamosa for the treatment of diabetes by various tribes in India. The leaves are also used for their powerful insecticidal activity, especially for destroying lice. Pharmacognostical study of Annona reticulate leaf samples were studied using of light, confocal microscopy, WHO recommended physico-chemical  determinations and authentic phytochemcial procedures. Morphologically the leaves were dorsi-ventral in nature and were similar in external appearance to that of Annona squamosa. Anatomically the leaf of Annona reticulata presented significant features of a dicotyledonous leaf viz., upper epidermis, cortex, midrib and the lower epidermis. The physico-chemical, morphological and histological parameters presented in this paper may be proposed as parameters to establish the authenticity of Annona reticulata leaf and will be useful to differentiate the drug from Annona squamosa.