ABSTRACT
There is increasing global interest in herbal and other forms of traditional medicines. Herbs have long been an important source of numerous effective drugs. As per World Health Organization recommendations, there is a need for investigation of traditional medicinal plants for their potential therapeutic efficacy. The bark of Alstonia scholaris (L.) R. Br. (Family: Apocynaceae) locally known as ‘Sapthaparni’ or ‘Satwid’, is reported to have anticancer, antihelminthic, antidiarrhoeal, antiasthamatic, antimalarial etc. The present work embodies the study carried out for quality control of herbal drugs which comprises of macroscopy, microscopy, physicochemical properties, phytochemical analysis, fluorescence analysis and HPTLC fingerprint. The anatomical markers present were found to be stone cells, sclereids, cork cells, fibers and prismatic crystals of calcium oxalate. Methanol soluble extractive value was found to be higher than Water, Ethanol and Petroleum ether soluble extractive values. Preliminary phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of tannins, alkaloids, steroids, amino acids, fats, fixed oil, glycosides, proteins, starch and flavonoids. A unique HPTLC fingerprint for A. scholaris (L.) R. Br. bark was developed. Results of the present study on pharmacognostical and phytochemical investigation of A. scholaris (L.) R. Br. bark will be helpful in developing standards for quality, purity and sample identification of this plant.