Pharmacognostic and preliminary phytochemical screening of Trachyspermum khasianum H. Wolff.

Abstract

Traditional systems of medicine are one of the widely practised systems of medicine in the northeastern part of India. Since ancient times plants are believed to have miraculous healing properties and playing a vital role in the management of different disease conditions. This study aimed to determine the pharmacognostical and phytochemicals properties of a rare ethnomedicinal plant Trachyspermum khasianum H. Wolff mainly found in the north-eastern part of India (Assam and Meghalaya). T. khasianum is a plant used as traditional medicine for the treatment of throat-pain, toothache and stomach ache by traditional healers of Meghalaya, India. The pharmacognostical evaluations of T. khasianum H. Wolff i.e., leaves, stems and roots like macroscopy and microscopy were carried out separately. The physicochemical parameters include moisture contents, water extractive, ethanol extractive, chloroform extractive, total ash values such as acid insoluble ash and water-soluble ash were evaluated. The different prepared extracts were submitted for various phytochemicals screening such as tests for alkaloids, glycosides, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, tannins, carbohydrates, proteins, and amino acids, fixed oils and fats, terpenoids, and diterpenes. Further study required to be carried out to determine the specific components responsible for the reported therapeutic activities.