Morphoanatomical standardization and elemental analysis of Clerodendrum chinense (Osbeck) Mabberley (India)

Abstract

Clerodendrum chinense (Osbeck) Mabberley have many uses in Indian and Chinese ethnomedicine. In this study we aim to establish the pharmacognostic profile of C.chinensis leaves to assist in the standardization for quality, purity and for the identification of sample. The fresh and dried leaves were evaluated to determine the macro and micromorphological characters using light and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)  The leaves were also subjected to elemental analysis by an Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometer (EDS or EDAX).Plant anatomy illustrated dicot histology. The leaves under LM are amphistomatic (anisocytic and diacytic), according to stomatal analysis .Several simpler multicellular covering trichomes and some glandular trichomes are found on the TS of midrib and TS of lamina shows dorsiventral leaf with  few covering and glandular trichomes whereas numerous simple, multicellular covering trichomes were found in TS of petiole which was also found in SEM. The powdered drug showed the presence of several trichomes, stomata, fragment of mesophyll tissue, thin walled fibre with wide lumen and narrow lumen, vessels with spiral and annular thickenings, and prismatic crystals. The histochemical study of leaf and petiole showed the presence of cutin in epidermis, tannin deposition in hypodermis and lignin in xylem.The elemental analysis using EDS showed the presence of higher chlorine content but petiole contains more of potassium than chlorine. Various pharmacognostic characters observed in this study helps in botanical identification and standardization of Clerodendrum chinense (Osbeck) Mabberley in crude form.