Standardization of Combretum platypterum (Welw) Hutch & Dalziel (Combretaceae) Leaf
Michael Onyegbulam Chukwuma*, Uchenna Estella Odoh, and Christopher Obodoechi Ezugwu.
Department of Pharmacognosy and Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria, Nsukka 410001, Nigeria
| Key words: Combretum platypterum standardization pharmacognostic profile phytochemistry.
*Corresponding author: +234 810 014 6968
Page No.: 60-69 |
AbstractStandardization is the investigation and documentation of unique and peculiar characters and properties which identify and separate a plant from others even members of the same family. Combretum platypterum (Welw.) Hutch. & Dalziel belongs to the family Combretaceae which is known to contain many secondary metabolites and have many pharmacological activities. While there are reports on some members of the genus Combretum, there is virtually none on the plant Combretum platypterum (Welw) Hutch. & Dalziel. This research aimed to provide information on standardization parameters of the leaves of Combretum platypterum (Welw.) Hutch. & Dalziel. The fresh leaf was used for quantitative microscopy studies while a part of the collection was dried under shade, powdered and used for powder microscopy, physico-chemical, phytochemical, mineral content and acute toxicity analysis. The leaf is hypostomatic with paracytic stomata on the abaxial face. The total ash value (10.5 %), water-soluble ash value (5.53-7.5 %), acid insoluble ash value (0.50-1.01 %), sulphated ash 3.7-6.0 %), moisture content (LOD) (9.33-9.67 %), water extractive value (5.13 %), ethanol extractive value (0.8 %) were obtained. Phytochemical evaluation revealed that the 70 % methanol extract contained 43-50 % total alkaloids. The acute toxicity evaluation showed that the plant is non-toxic at doses up to 5000 mg/kg. These study have provided basic and fundamental information on the plant, and justification for its safe use in ethno medicine.
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