Pharmacognostical evaluation of root of Gumma (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Leucas cephalotes</i> Spreng.)

Abstract

<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt" lang="EN-US">Gumma (<i>Leucas cephalotes </i>Spreng.) belonging to family Lamiaceae, primarily a folk drug, is also used in Ayurveda and Unani medicine in India and in adjacent countries for its varied therapeutic properties such as stimulant, diaphoretic, antiseptic, laxative, anthelminthic, insecticidal, germicidal, fungicidal, emmenogogue, expectorant and antipyretic. Its root is particularly useful in regularization of menstrual cycle, tuberculosis and dysentery. In view of insufficient data necessary to set up proper identification of the whole plant and its roots and to provide referential information for checking adulteration and substitution, root of this plant has been evaluated on pharmacognostical parameters by means of anatomical, physico-chemical and preliminary phytochemical studies, HPLC and UV-Vis spectrophotometry.

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