Pharmacognostic Investigations of Impatiens balsamina Linn.

Abstract

Herbal medicines are the first type of medical system ever developed for treatment. The increasing studies on medicinal plants influenced the construction of an unique herbal pharmacopoeia and transformed how it was processed and administered. The pharmacognostic study of plants is an important parameter for quick identification and authentication of plants with less time and cost. Impatiens balsamina (Balsaminaceae) was commonly called garden balsam or rose balsam, native to India and Myanmar. The studies were carried out to evaluate different parameters, including macroscopy, microscopic characters and physicochemical parameters, by performing standard procedures. The detailed characteristics of leaf, stem and root with intensive quantitative microscopy were performed. In physicochemical analysis, various parameters like ash values, foreign organic matter, extractive values, foaming index and loss on drying were performed. In the current study, pharmacognostic factors for quick plant identification and authentication macroscopic and microscopy were investigated, which will be helpful for further research on plant.