PHARMACOGNOSTICAL, PHYTOCHEMICAL AND PHARMACOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF ALCOHOLIC LEAF EXTRACT OF ALBIZIA LEBBECK BENTH

Abstract

Albizia lebbeck benth, commonly known as Shirisha in Hindi, Bengali and Sanskrit, in English acacia amarilla, sometimes East Indian walnut, English woman's tongue, fry wood, Indian siris, lebbeck, siris tree, woman‟s tongue tree and vagai, Vagei in Tamil, is a medium to large tree belonging to the family Fabaceae (Formerly Leguminosae) and a member of subfamily Mimosaceae. In Ayurveda, it is used in many disease conditions for its anti-inflammatory, anti-histaminic, anti-anaphylactic, anti-asthmatic and anti-microbial activities. Leaves are good fodder with protein contents. The present study deals macroscopic, microscopic, physicochemical and phytochemical investigations of green and dry leaf of Albizia lebbeck benth. The diagnostic characters of leaves of this plant are presence of warty trichomes, lignified fibers, tannin containing cells and prismatic crystals. Physicochemical studies revealed loss on drying, total ash, acid insoluble ash, alcohol-soluble extractive and water -soluble extractives. Preliminary analysis for the presence of various functional groups revealed the presence of alkaloids, phenols, tannins, flavonoi d, saponins and proteins. In the present study the alcoholic extra ct of leaf shows the presence of cardiac glycoside as well so there is a chance to establish cardiac activity. Our foremost aim is to confirm the presence of cardiac glycoside and because of this component to prove cardiac activity, either cardioprotective or cardiotoxicity.