COMPARATIVE PHARMACOGNOSTIC STUDY OF LEAVES OF ADHATAODA VASICA AND AILANTHUS EXCELSA

Adhataoda vasica and Ailanthus excelsa are distributed throughout tropical and subtropical parts of India. Their leaves are used as expectorant and bronchodilator. The present investigation deals with the comparative pharmacognostical study of the leaves of the two species and establishment of its quality parameters. Detailed morphological and qualitative as well as the quantitative microscopic study was carried out. Phytochemical screening of the species followed this. Leaf surface microscopy of Adhataoda vasica shows polygonal thin walled epidermal cells and diacytic stomata whereas Ailanthus excels shows penta and hexagonal epidermal cells and anomocytic stomata. The chief powder characteristics of Adhataoda vasica leaf powder are 2-4 celled blunt covering trichomes, sessile-glandular trichomes, acicular and prismatic calcium oxalate crystals whereas Ailanthus excelsa leaf powder shows multicellular bent thick walled covering trichomes, multicellular head and stalk glandular trichomes, cluster and rosette calcium oxalate crystals. The present work can serve as a useful tool in the identification, authentication, and standardization of the plant material and distinguishing the two species from each other. The present study can be very useful in distinguishing Adhataoda vasica and Ailanthus excelsa, standardizing their formulations as well as serving as a guide for isolating novel phyto-constituents from them.