Abstract

EVALUATION OF PHARMACOGNOSTICAL STUDIES ON LEAVES OF ALBIZIA LEBBECK (L) BENTH

Vasanthi Padmanabhan*

Abstract

Plants have played a significant role in maintaining human health and improving the quality of human life for thousands of years and have served human as well as valuable components such as cosmetics, dyes and medicines. Herbs have been used as food and for medicinal purpose for centuries. Herbal medicines as the major remedy in traditional medical system. Globally, a large population utilizes traditional medicines. The traditional herbal plants are often cheap, available nearby and consumable without any problem and prepared as simple medicinal preparation. Therefore, herbal medicines are rapidly increasing in economic importance. So it becomes necessary that traditionally used medicinal plants should be explored on the basis of their pharmacological activities and the active constituents responsible for the bioactivities. Albizia lebbeck is traditional important medicinal plant. It is commonly called as “siris tree” and in tamil it is called as “Vaagai”. It is found throughout India, Bangladesh, tropical and subtropical Asia. It is a deciduous tree with compound leaves, flat oblong fruits and round cream coloured seeds, grow wild. Medicinal plants and their products particularly containing pharmaceuticals play an important role in drug development programme. Hence, pharmacognostical studies needs to be of great value in identification of commercial samples of the market to find their authenticity and identify of adulterant or substituent. Pharmacognostical evaluation of Albizia Lebbeck leaves provided specific parameters that will provide relevant pharmacognostical data needed for scientific evaluation, identification and authentication of leaves of this particular species.

Keywords: Traditional medicine, herbal medicine, Albizia Lebbeck. Pharmacognosy.