Pharmacognostical study of dillenia indica Linn. growing in Egypt. Part I: macro and micromorphology of the stem and leaf

ABSTRACT

The macro- and micromorphology of the stem of a branch and leaf of Dillenia indica Linn. growing in Egypt are presented to find out the diagnostic characters by which these organs could be identified in both the entire and powdered forms. Dillenia indica Linn. is an evergreen tree [6-15 m] in height belongs to the family Dilleniaceae which comprises 10 genera and 400 species distributed in the tropical and subtropical regions. Various medicinal properties are attributed to this plant. The fruits are used as cooling beverage in fevers, while in India, leaves and barks are used medicinally for their tannin content in ulcerated sores and for tanning. The alcoholic extract of the leaves causes depression of the central nervous system. The fruit juice mixed with sugar and water is used as a cough mixture, [assists expectoration] and said to cure angina so it is used as tonic laxative and in abdominal pains. However, nothing could be traced in the available current literature concerning the botanical study of the aerial parts of the plant. Therefore, the present study aimed to describe the macro- and micromorphological characters of the stem and leaf for the purpose of their identification in their entire and powdered forms