Pharmacognostic Screening, Phytochemical Evaluation and In- Vitro free radical Scavenging Activity of Acacia leucophloea Root

ABSTRACT

Objective: Pharmacognostic Screening and evaluate the in-vitro free radical scavenging activity of roots Acacia leucophloea. Methods: Pharmacognostic Standardization, Physico-chemical evaluation of the roots of Acacia leucophloea was carried out to determine its macro-and microscopical characters and also some of its quantitative standards. Microscopical studies were done by using trinocular microscope. Microscopically, root showed cork, cortex, stellar region and calcium oxalate crystals. Petroleum ether, ethanol, aqueous extracts of Acacia leucophloea were prepared, with successive extraction in soxhlet apparatus. Each extract was selected to study the free radical scavenging activity by superoxide scavenging assay method. Results: It was found that aqueous extract contained carbohydrates, glycosides amino acids flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, steroids; ethanolic extract contained glycosides amino acids flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, steroids. Ethanolic extract of Acacia leucophloea shows maximam inhibition in superoxide scavenging model. Aqueous extract also showed almost similar activity compared to ethanolic extract), while Petroleum ether extract showed poor inhibition of superoxide scavenging activity. Conclusion: The present study on pharmacognostic standardization, physico and phytochemical evaluation of Acacia leucophloea root might be useful to supplement information about its identification parameters assumed significantly in the way of acceptability of herbal drugs in present scenario lacking regulatory laws to control quality of herbal drugs.