PHARMACOGNOSTIC AND PHYSICOCHEMICAL EVALUATION OF GYNURA NEPALENSIS

Traditional knowledge and ethnobotanical use of plants have been widely acknowledged worldwide. The cicatrizing properties of extracts obtained from this plant have been scientifically studied, attributing the main biological activity to its tannin and flavonoid content. The recent commercialization of the plant drug Gynura nepalensis. requires Pharma-cognostical and Pharmacological information to develop quality-control methods for raw materials and extracts produced with the plant drug. Macro and micro morphological parameters were established to authenticate the genuine drug that allowed detection of adulterants usually found in commercial samples of this plant material. All the parameters were studied according to WHO guidelines and Indian Pharmacopoeia. These morphological characteristics can be used for rapid identification of the drug and are particularly useful in the case of powdered materials and physicochemical parameters. TLC profiling of plant extracts gives an idea about the presence of various phytochemicals. Pharmacological activity of Gynura nepalensis ethanolic leaf extracts were analyzed for total phenolic and flavonoid contents along with the antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activity. The result of the study can serve as a valuable source of information and provide suitable for the identification of this plant material in future investigation and application.