Pharmacognostic standardisation of Hilleria latifolia (Lam.) H. Walt. (Phytolaccaceae)

Objective: To establish the pharmacognostic characters for the correct identification and quality control of Hilleria latifolia (H. latifolia), an important herb in Ghanaian folklore medicine, for the treatment of infections, pain and inflammation. Methods: The macro-morphological, qualitative and q...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Isaac Kingsley Amponsah, Abraham Yeboah Mensah, Antonia Otoo, Merlin Lincoln Kwao Mensah, Jato Jonathan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2014-12-01
Series:Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2221169115301088
Description
Summary:Objective: To establish the pharmacognostic characters for the correct identification and quality control of Hilleria latifolia (H. latifolia), an important herb in Ghanaian folklore medicine, for the treatment of infections, pain and inflammation. Methods: The macro-morphological, qualitative and quantitative microscopic features, physicochemical and phytochemical features of the medicinally used parts of H. latifolia were evaluated using standard methods. Results: The plant has simple, alternate leaves with entire margin. The lamina is ovate to broadly lanceolate with an acuminate apex. It is hypostomatic with anomocytic stomata. The plant contains abundant prismatic crystals in all parts. Starch grains abound in the roots. The quantitative indices of the leaf and physicochemical parameters have also been established. Conclusions: The pharmacognostic features established in this study may be used as part of the pharmacopoeial standard for the correct identification and quality control of H. latifolia.
ISSN:2221-1691