Abstract
Maloff-HB is a documented traditional oral powdered herbal drug in Ogbomoso, Nigeria whose botanical constituents, ascorbic acid and mineral elements composition have been quantified but there is inadequate information on the pharmacognostic properties of the nine herbal materials for its formulation. This study therefore sought to elucidate the bark and wood anatomy of eight of the nine herbs used in the formulation, and identify the diagnostic markers for their authentication. The conventional anatomical techniques of transverse sectioning (TS) and tissue maceration (TIM) were used to draw out 21 characteristics from the root barks of the eight woody species studied. In addition, 41 features of the wood in the roots of three of the species were drawn using TS, transverse longitudinal sectioning (TLS), radial longitudinal sectioning (RLS) and TIM. Following staining, mounting and microscopic examinations, the observed qualitative and quantitative features were taxonomically described in accordance with the provisions of International Association of Wood Anatomists, and their diagnostic values among the medicinal herbs were explored. Bark anatomical markers that are clearly diagnostic of the species studied included features of the secondary cortex, phloem rays, axial parenchyma, sclereids and resin ducts. In the wood, these included features of the vessels in the TS and variable ray characteristics in the TLS. The two artificial keys obtained from discontinuities in qualitative and quantitative features observed in the barks and the woods are useful tools for reliable identification of the herbal materials studied.
Highlights
Nature has been a source of medicinal agents for thousands of years
Herbal drugs are often taken as combinations which generate unique problems of authentication such as determining if there is species confusion of different herbs sharing one name or one herb using different names, and if correct herbs have been included in a particular proprietary medicine. 4
The objectives of this study were to elucidate the bark and wood anatomical composition of the herbal materials used for producing Maloff-HB in order to come up with microscopic markers for diagnosing its constituent herbs; and to generate bark and wood anatomy-based diagnostic keys which can be useful as handy tools for authenticating the identities of the constituents of the herbal formulation
Summary
Nature has been a source of medicinal agents for thousands of years. Plants in particular have been identified and used for therapeutic purpose since the start of human history, and an impressive number of modern drugs have been isolated from them and other natural sources. 1,2 Plantbased medicines have continued to play an essential role in health care, with about 80% of the world’s human population relying mainly on traditional medicine for their primary health care. 3 Extensive use of herbal medicine calls for accurate and efficient means of authenticating herbal materials which are the ingredients of the drugs. 3 Extensive use of herbal medicine calls for accurate and efficient means of authenticating herbal materials which are the ingredients of the drugs. Plants in particular have been identified and used for therapeutic purpose since the start of human history, and an impressive number of modern drugs have been isolated from them and other natural sources. This is necessary for two main reasons. 5 The subject matter of systematic pharmacognosy involves macroscopic and microscopic examination of herbal materials in order to recognize and identify unknown drugs.
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