PHARMACOGNOSTICAL EVALUATION OF Cardiospermum halicacabum (L). LEAF
The present study deals with a widely available plant leaf, Cardiospermum halicacabum L. It is popularly known as “balloon vine”, tamil name “Mudakkathan”. It belongs to the family Sapindaceae. Leaves are pubescent or nearly glabrous annular perennial with slender branches climbing by means of tendriller. 2-4cm in length, pale or light green, dentate irregularly deeply incised margin, acute apex, obtuse-truncate beneath base. Microscopic evaluation revealed that the presence of anamocytic stomata in both upper and lower epidermis, uniseriate or multicellular trichomes, xylem vessels, phloem, and fibers. SEM showed the uniseriate multicellular trichomes. Vein islet numbers, vein termination numbers, stomatal number, stomatal index and other physicochemical tests like ash values, loss on drying, extractive values were determined. Preliminary phytochemical screening showed the presence of alkaloids, carbohydrates, sterols, saponins, tannins, proteins and free amino acids, terpenoids, flavonoids and absence of volatile oil, fixed oil, and glycosides. Histological identification, microscopic constants and other physicochemical examinations of the leaves of Cardiospermum halicacabum L. can be used as rapid, inexpensive botanical identification technique and is useful in standardization, hence it would be of immense value in authentication of the leaf.