COMPARATIVE PHARMACOGNOSTIC AND BIOLOGICAL STUDIES ON THE LEAVES OF VERNONIA AMYGDALINA DEL. AND VERNONIA KOTSCHYANASCH. BIP. (ASTERACEAE)

ABSTRACT

Vernonia amygdalinaDel. andV. kotschyanaSch. Bip.(Asteraceaea) re respectivelyshrub  or treeand annual herbfound commonly in tropical and subtropical countrieTsh. ey are employed  in  ethn-omedicine  in  the  treatment  of  many  ailmentasmely  stomach  ache, gingivitis, rheumatisms, chistosomiasis, fevers ancodugh, which are associated with pains and inflammation.sMacroscopic, microscocp,ichemo-microscopic, quantitative eavluative

and  thin  layer  chromatographic  studibeys using  standard  pharmacognostic  methods  of evaluationswere  carried  out  on  both plant  speciEesle. mental analysisby using Energy Dispersive  X-ray  Fluorescence  (EDXRFt)echnique;  analgesic  and  an-tini flammatory studies by  respectively  using  acetic  ac-iindduced  writhing  in  mice  and  carrageaen-n induced hind paw oedemina rats’ methodswerecarried out on tehtwo plants.

Macroscopci ally,  leaves  ofthe  two plant specieswere found  to have  somesimilar and differing diagnostic feature. sLeavesof both plant speciews ere alternately arrangewd ith acute  apices,  symmetrical  bases  and  pubescent  su. rLfaecaevses  ofV. amygdalinawere relatively smaller (12.0 x 5.7 cm) than thoseVo. fkotschyana(17.0 x 6.7 cm)and both were petiolat.eLeaves of the former plantwere lanceolatein shape with serrated margin while those of the latter one weerelliptical in shape with dented marg. iOn rganoleptically, leaves ofV. amygdalina weremore greenishin colour and bitterin taste thanthose ofV. kotschyana, although,both planst had distinct odour.

Microscopically, leaves ofV. amygdalinahad epidermal cells with slightlbyeadedwavy anticlinal walls while those oVf . kotschyanahad deeply wavy anticlinawl alls. Numerous anomocytic stomata(abaxiallyand adaxially), unicellular and fewuniseriatemulticellular coveringtrichomeswere  identifiedin both plants. Few uniseriatemulticellular glandular trichomeswith warty surfacewere found only inV. kotschyanaleaves.

Transversely, the  leaves  of  bothplant  species  were  dorsiventranl d  hadmultilacunar vascular bundle.sCalcium oxalate crystal(sprism and rosett)e, starch grains(oval-shaped,) xylem vessels(reticulate and spir)aland fibreswere foundin the fresh and powdedre leaves of both plants.