Asian Journal
Of Traditional Medicines

Abstract: Basilicum polystachyon is an important medicinal plant. The leaves are used in the treatment of epilepsy, palpitation of heart,
neuralgia and as a sedative. The pharmacognostical evaluation of the leaf of B. polystachyon which is used for medicinal
purposes is presented in this paper. The study includes the morphology of the plant, macro-, microscopical characteristics of the
leaf, macerate elements, histochemical and UV studies, physico-chemical constants and phytochemical analysis. The findings
like the presence of diacytic type of stomata, trichomes of glandular, non-glandular, uni- and multicellular types, thick walled
collenchyma cells and abundant oil droplets are the characters which help in the identification of this leaf drug. Preliminary
phytochemical analysis revealed that pet. ether extract contained phytosterols; alkaloids, carbohydrates, glycosides and
phytosterols were present in alcohol extract; alkaloids, carbohydrates, glycosides, volatile oils, gums and mucilage were found
in water extract; alkaloids and phytosterols were found in acetone extract while no phytoconstituent was present in chloroform
extract. HPTLC finger print profile of alcohol and aqueous extracts has been carried out which helps in the identification of the
biomarker compound. These studies contribute towards establishing pharmacopoeial standards for the drug.

Key words: Basilicum polystachyon, leaf, pharmacognosy, HPTLC profile