– Comparative Pharmacognostic Studies of the Leaves of Solanum Incanum linn and Solanum Melongena linn (Solanaceae) –
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ABSTRACT
Solanum incanum Linn. and Solanum melongena Linn (Solanaceae) are both shrubs or trees found in the sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East. Both are called „gauta‟ among the Hausa community of Northern Nigeria and „Tarku‟ among the Bura/Babar speaking people of Southern Borno of North Eastern Nigeria.
They are widely used in traditional medicine for the treatment of pain related illnesses such as sore throat, angina, stomach-ache, colic, headache, painful menstruation, liver pain and pain caused by onchocerciasis, pleurisy, pneumonia and rheumatism.
Microscopic, chemo-microscopic, quantitative evaluative and thin layer chromatographic (TLC) studies were carried out on the leaves of both plant species using standard pharmacognostic procedures.
Elemental analysis using Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) technique was also carried out on the two plant species.
Organoleptically, leaves of both plants were green in colour and distinct in odour, but S. incanum had a more bitter taste than S. melongena.
Microscopically, leaves of both plants had predominantly anisocytic stomata of different sizes on the adaxial surface, while anomocytic stomata were predominant on the abaxial surfaces.
Numerous non glandular stellate trichomes of different sizes were observed on the abaxial surface of both plants. Epidermal cells with wavy anticlinal walls were observed on both surfaces of the two plant species.
Transversely, the leaves of both plants were dorsiventral with multilacunar vascular bundles.Calcium oxalate crystal (prism), starch grains (oval-shaped) and xylem vessels (spiral) were observed.
Quantitative-leaf microscopy of the two plants had shown that S. melongena had a higher vein-islet termination number (4.80) than S. incanum (3.40).
They also differ in their stomatal numbers and indices: 4.00 and 6.80 (upper epidermis) and 12.00 and 20.50 (lower epidermis) in S. melongena were higher than 2.00 and 3.70 (upper epidermis) and 8.00 and 13.30 (lower epidermis) in S. incanum respectively, but had the same palisade ratio (4.60) and vein-islet number (2.60).
Chemomicroscopic studies showed that both plants had all features tested in common, namely cellulose, lignin, starch, tannins, mucilage, fats and fixed oils and calcium oxalate crystals were present, while calcium carbonate was absent.
Physicochemical analysis (%w/w) revealed that water-soluble ash (10.2%) and water-soluble extractive value (19.2%) were higher in S. melongena than in S. incanum (8.4%) and (18%) respectively.
While moisture content (4.1%), total ash (20.5%), acid-insoluble ash (7.0%) and alcohol-soluble extractives (12.4%) were found to be higher in S. incanum than in S. melongena (3.5%), (19.0%), (6.0%) and (9.6%) respectively.
Quantitative estimation of alkaloids in the leaves of the two plants revealed that S. incanum (8.0%) had a slightly higher percentage of alkaloid than S. melongena (5.0%).
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Pharmacognostic Studies
Pharmacognosy being concerned with the description and identification of a plant including its history, commerce, collection, preparation and storage is of fundamental importance particularly for pharmacopoeial identification and quality control purpose. Pharmacognosy is the study of medicine derived from natural source.
It is the study of the physical, chemical, biochemical and biological properties of drug substances of natural origin. Pharmacognostic studies of plant drugs involves the sources of drug, the morphological character, histological characters, chemical constituents and their qualitative test, various physicochemical test and pharmacological action of the drug or the active constituents (Ghani, 1990).
It also includes the commercial varieties, substitutes, adulterants and any other quality control of the drugs. Pharmacognostic studies ensure plant identity and lays down standardization parameters which helps in preventing adulterations (Chanda, 2014).
Authentication of medicinal plants is of paramount importance in ensuring quality and safety of crude drugs. Pharmacognostic study not only gives the authentication but also quality, purity and standard of the plant drug.
An authentication and quality assessment of herbal material deals with the Pharmacognosy that is based on macroscopic and microscopic characters (Heinrich, 2000).
According to WHO (1998), the macroscopical and microscopical description of a medicinal plant is the first step towards establishing the identity and the degree of purity of such material.
The pharmacognostic parameters are reliable and inexpensive criteria for confirmation of the identity of crude drugs (Evans, 2006).
REFERENCE
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Ahlam, S. E., and Bouran, I. A. (2011). Microscopic Studies on the Leaf and Petiole of Vernonia amygdalina Del. Advances in Applied Sciences Research, 2(2): 398-406.
Ahmad, M., Khan, M. A., Zafar, M., Arshad, M., Sultana,S., Abbasi, B. H., and Din, S.U. (2010). Use of Chemotaxonomic Markers for Misidentified Medicinal Plants used in Traditional Medicines. Journal of Medicinal Plant Research, 4(13): 1244-1252.
Auta, R.: James, S. A.: Auta, T. and Sofa, E. M. (2011) Nutritive Value and Phytochemical Composition of Processed Solanum incanum (bitter garden egg), Science World Journal, 6(3): 5-6.
Ashutosh, K. (2003). Phytochemistry. Pharmacognosy and Pharmacobiotechnology (2nd ed.). London: New Age International, pp. 19-20.
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