EVALUATION OF PHARMACOGNOSTICAL CHARACTERS, PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING, AND IN-VITRO ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF Clematis buchananianDE CANDOLLE (RANUNCULACEAE)

Abstract

Phytotherapy is used as a complementary approach to the prevention and treatment of many diseases. Clematis buchananian, Family: Ranunculaceae (Buttercup family) possess medicinal value and are used as an antiinflammatory, for peptic ulcer, treatment of ingestion, applied externally to cuts and wounds and sinusitis. The purpose of the present study is to establish the standardized identification parameters such as pharmacognostic characteristics and phytochemical composition, antioxidant, and antibacterial activities of Clematis buchananiana leaves extract. Pharmacognostical analysis indicates that the leaf surface is oval, hairy, and pilose, and has an acute apex. Microscopic characteristics reveal the upper epidermis has a single layer with a thin cuticle and inter-spread with numerous actinocytic stomata and unicellular and multiseriate trichomes. The Stomatal number: 168-192 (lower epidermis), Stomatal index: 14.28 %, Vein- Islet number: 48-54 and Vein termination number: 24-30 respectively. The extractive values for alcoholic and water-soluble were found to be 6.8% w/w and 4.5% w/w respectively. The phytochemical screening of extracts exhibited the presence of alkaloids, carbohydrates, saponins and proteins. The methanolic extracts of leaves of C. buchananiana at a concentration of 500µg/ml showed high potency against gram-negative bacteria such as Salmonella typhi and Escherichia coli. The extract showed maximum scavenging activity of 67.89 and 59.67 respectively against Ascorbic acid with an IC50 value is 48μg/ml. The different phytoconstituents mainly alkaloids, carbohydrates, saponins, amino acids, and proteins could be responsible for the In-vitro antibacterial and antioxidant potentials of leaf extract.