Pharmacognostical Studies On Leaves And Stem Of Cocculus Hirsutus

Abstract

Pharmacognostical studies were carried out on the leaves and stem of Cocculus hirsutus Linn, which showed covering trichomes, epidermal cells in leaf and fragments of fibres, sclerenchymatous tissues with xylem vessels in stem. Physicochemical parameters such as water, alcohol soluble extractive values were found to be 6.30 %, 13.10 % and 19 %, 8.60 % w/w for leaves and stem respectively. The total ash values, acid insoluble ash and water soluble ash were found to be 2.20 %, 0.40 %, 0.60 % and 5.2 %,0.60 %, 1.50 % w/w for leaves and stem respectively. The loss on drying was found to be 1.21 % and 1.30 % w/w for the leaves and stem respectively. The leaf constants such as stomatal index (6.50), vein islet number (3), vein termination number (5) and palisade ratio (4.9) were also determined.