Abstract

PHARMACOGNOSTIC EVALUATION OF THE LEAVES AND STEMS OF JUSTICIA SECUNDA VAHL. (ACANTHACEAE)

Umoh Romanus A.*, Johnny Imoh I., Umoh Omodot T., Udoh Anwanabasi E., Anah Victor U. and Obah-Eni Love C.

Abstract

Justicia secunda Vahl. (Acanthaceae) is commonly known as “bloodroot” and “sanguinaria” in Barbados and Venezuela respectively. In South-Eastern Nigeria, it is locally called “obarabundu”. The Ogbiapeople of Otuoke-Otuaba, Bayelsa, Niger- Delta region of Nigeria calls it “asindiri” or “ohowaazara”. The leaves are used for treatment of wound, anaemia, and pain within the abdominal region. The leaf decoction is consumed in some parts of Nigeria, Cote-d’Ivoire, and Congo for the purpose of improving haematocrit count. The leaves have been demonstrated to possess antisickling, antimicrobial, antihypertensive and haematinic activities. The aim of this study was to evaluate pharmacognostic parameters of Justicia secunda such as microscopy, micromeritics, chemomicroscopy, fluorescence, extractive values, moisture content and ash values. The leaves and stems were collected, identified, air-dried, weighed and subjected to the above evaluation parameters using standard procedures. In microscopy, the fresh leaf, stem and their powders were subjected to clearing, staining and examination under microscope. The micromeritics properties were determined using powdered leaf and stem. For chemomicroscopy, their powders were treated with different chemicals/ reagents and viewed under microscope. For the fluorescence properties the powders were macerated in different solvents and their extracts viewed at day light, the lower and higher wavelength of the ultraviolet lights. For extractive values, cold maceration with ethanol, methanol, and distilled water were used as the solvents. The moisture content was determined using loss on dry method, where crucibles and their contents were weighed and heated in an oven at 1050C until completely dried, then the moisture contents were determined and their percentages calculated. These crucibles were transferred into the furnace and heated at 4500C for 8 hours and the total ash values were obtained. The acid-insoluble ash and water-soluble ash values were obtained by washing the ashes with dilute hydrochloric acid and distilled water respectively. It was passed through the ashless filter paper, dried and then incinerated in the furnace at 4500C and their ash values were calculated. For sulfated ash, the powders were mixed with concentrated sulphuric acid and incinerated at 8000C for 8 hours. The results obtained from microscopy, the leaf has amphistomatic stomata, multicellular covering trichomes on the adaxial surface and none on abaxial surface. The epidermal cell wall pattern was undulated both on the adaxial and abaxial surfaces. Stomatal index was 33.30% on abaxial surface and 2.53% on adaxial surface. The micromeritics analysis of the leaf and stem powders reveal good flow and fair flow respectively. The results of chemomicroscopy for leaf and stem revealed the presence of mucilage, calcium oxalate crystals and oil except lignin in stem and starch in the leaf. For water-soluble extractive values the results of leaf and stem were 26.00%w/w and 12.00%w/w, methanol-soluble extractive value 12.00%w/w and 4.50%w/w, ethanol-soluble extractive value 14.3%w/w and 4.80%w/w, moisture content 9%w/w and 9%w/w, total ash values were 16%w/w and 7%w/w, acid-insoluble ash values 2% w/w and 1%w/w, water-soluble ash values 4% w/w and 4%w/w, sulfated-ash values 21.50%w/w and 7%w/w respectively. In conclusion, the results obtained from the pharmacognostic studies will provide information about the identity, quality and purity of Justicia secunda.

Keywords: Haematinic, Haematocrit, Justicia secunda, Micromeritic, Microscopy, Pharmacognostic, Therapeutic.