Pharmacognostical and physicochemical evaluation of Homalium zeylanicum benth

Homalium zeylanicum (Gardn.) Benth. (Syn. H. ceylanicum) belonging to family Salicaceae (Flacourtiaceae) and is distributed in evergreen and semi-evergreen forests, native to south India and srilanka. It is also found in Bangladesh, Laos. Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand and Vietnam. The various parts of plant having many traditional medicinal uses, include analgesic anti-inflammatory hepatoprotective, anthelimintic antioxidant, cytotoxic diabetes, wound healing and rheumatism. Review of literature revealed that the scientific evaluation on various parts of the plants has not been carried out.

Objective of the present study is to evaluate the various parts of plant Homalium zeylanicum Benth with its morphology, anatomy, and physiochemical aspects.

The plant specimens for the proposed study were collected from Thenmala of Kollam District in Kerala, herbarium was provided and certified. Macroscopic and. Microscopic examinations were done as per standard protocol. Physicochemical parameters of both leaf and bark were done following standard procedure. The anatomical characters and values obtained from study can help in standardization.

Whole plant subjected for anatomical works, leaf and bark powder subjected for microscopic and physiochemical parameter measurement which provides relevant information about the plant. The current observation about this plant will also be helpful in differentiating this species from closely related species of same family.