Phyto-anatomical and chemical studies in Chasmanthera dependens hochst. menispermaceae

Chasmanthera dependens Hochst. is a woody liane of the dense evergreen or semi-deciduous lowland forest and riparian woodland of the drier Guinean zone. All the parts of plant are used in traditional medicine in West Africa and it is potent in curing sexually-related diseases such as gonorrhoea and other venereal discharges, soothing pains and stiffness, for treating physical or nervous disability and for dressing fractures. Keeping in view these activities, the bioactive chemical properties of the leaf and stem of the plant were screened and anatomical characters of these vegetative parts were investigated to prevent adulteration and aid [identification even when the plant specimens are in fragments]. The leaf is hypostomatic and the stomatal type is usually paracytic; the anticlinal wall pattern varied from undulate to curved and the epidermal cell lumen is filled with crystals of calcium oxalate. In the stem, the vascular bundle is bicollateral and the parenchyma cells are also impregnated with crystals of calcium oxalate. Saponins, alkaloids, and reducing sugars are present in the leaf and stem whereas anthraquinone, phlobatinnins, cardiac glycosides and cyanogenetic glycosides are absent. Similar retention factor of 0.74 obtained in thin layer chromatography confirms the presence of alkaloids in the leaf and stem of the plant

Pharmacognostic investigation of the leaf of Tapinanthes bangwensis [Engl. and K. Krause] Danser Loranthaceae

Pharmacognostic investigation of the leaf of Tapinanthus bangwensis [Engl. and K. Krause] Danser was carried out using phytochemical and anatomical methods. Polygonal epidermal cell shape, straight - curved anticlinal wall pattern, paracytic stomata and presence of the crystals of calcium oxalate in the cell lumen are characteristic of the species. Other useful identification indices include glabrous leaf, arc-like closely spaced vascular bundle in the petiole and centrally located vasculature of the midrib. The phytochemical characters like tannins, saponins, cardiac glycosides, reducing compounds and flavonoids are present but anthraquinones, alkaloids, phlobatannins and cyanogenetic glycosides are lacking. With these features, the plant can be identified without ambiguity and the chemical constituents underlie the potency of the plant as a plant of high medicinal value used in traditional medical practice for inhibiting the growth of bacteria, fungi and virus, and also in rectifying sexuality problems