Present study was designed for detailed pharmacognostic profile of leaves and stem of Ventilago maderspatana Gaertn belonging to the family Rhamnaceae. It is an important and well known plant in the Indian system of medicine. Leaf and stem samples of V. maderspatana were subjected to macroscopical, microscopical, physicochemical and phytochemical study, following standardization recommended by WHO. Macroscopically the leaves are simple, oblong-lanceolate. Microscopically leaves showed the presence of anomocytic stomata. Stem showed the presence of parenchyma, sclereids, cortex, phloem, vascular bundle and pith. Leaf revealed the presence of simple or unbranched vein terminations, fibres and prismatic type calcium oxalate crystals. The stem shows the presence of xylem fibres, vessel elements and xylem parenchyma. Physicochemical parameter such as ash value extractive values were also determined and results showed that total ash values of stem was higher than leaf and water soluble extractive value of leaf and stem was higher than alcohol soluble extractive value. Preliminary phytochemical screening showed the presence of alkaloids, carbohydrates, steriods and glycosides, saponins, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, triterpenoids, in ethanolic and aqueous extracts of leaf and stem. The results of the study can serve as a valuable source of information by providing suitable standards for the morphological and microscopical identification of this plant material in future investigation and application.
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