Macroscopical, anatomical and physico-chemical studies on leaves of <i style="">Coccinia indica</i> Wight & Arn., growing wildly in eastern Uttar Pradesh region of India

Abstract

<i style="">Coccinia indica</i> Wight &amp; Arn. of family Cucurbitaceae, called Ivy Gourd in English and <i style="">Kundru </i>or<i style=""> Bimb</i> in Hindi, is a wildly growing climber or trailing weed in eastern Uttar Pradesh region of India. Its leaves are traditionally used for treatment of various diseases like wounds, ulcers, inflammation, skin diseases, fever, asthma, cough, diabetes and anemia. An attempt has been made to highlight this folk herbal medicine through present study which will assist in the identification of fresh as well as dried crude samples of leaves anatomically and physicochemically. TLC fingerprint profiling and fluorescence analysis of powdered leaves were also carried out and the salient qualitative and quantitative parameters are reported. These studies will provide referential information for correct identification and help in checking adulteration in market samples used in the preparation of various herbal medicines. The present observation will also be helpful in differentiating the leaves of this species from closely related species of same genus and family.