Pharmacognostic Study of Tradescantia pallida (Rose) D. R. Hunt leaves

Tradescantia pallida (Rose) D. R. Hunt (Family-Commelinaceae) is an ornamental plant that exhibits several important traditional medicinal uses. In this paper we report the pharmacognostical standardization of the leaves of T. pallida which included the macroscopic and microscopic characters, physicochemical parameters, preliminary phytochemical screening and fluorescence characteristics of different extracts. The results of the study could serve as a basis of establishing pharmacognostic standards for the drug and help in differentiating from other related species. Further, it will help to authenticate the species and identify adulteration in the plant material. The diagnostic microscopic characters and physicochemical data could be helpful in the development of herbal monograph for the species.