Pharmacognostical studies on the leaves and stems of Hibiscus hispidissimus Griffith

Traditionally medicinal plants have been used for the prevention and treatment of various diseases. Hibiscus hispidissimus Griffith is one of the unexplored medicinal plants, distributed in the Western Ghats of India and also found in China, Thailand, Sri Lanka, etc. Common names include ‘Comfort root’, or ‘Hill hemp bendy’. Vernacular names are Uppanacham in Malayalam and Sathambasthi in Sanskrit. It is used as food and medicine. Tribal healers traditionally use this plant for anthelmintic, antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, anti-arthritic, diuretic, nephroprotective, and hepatoprotective activities1. The present study is focused on the evaluation of macroscopical, microscopical characters and physicochemical parameters of leaves and stems of Hibiscus hispidissimus Griffith belongs to the family Malvaceae. The result of the study can be used to develop pharmacognostic standards for the drug, which helps in determining the identity and purity of the drug. The microscopical characters and physico chemical parameters are useful in preparing herbal monograph for particular species of medicinal plants.