Pharmacognostic Study of Aerial Parts of Celosia argentea Linn

Celosia argentea Linn (Amaranthaceae) grows as a weed during rainy season throughout India and other tropical regions of the world such as Sri Lanka, South Asia, Africa and America. It is used traditionally for the treatment of jaundice, gonorrhea, inflammations, wounds, itching, diarrhea, blood diseases, mouth sores, and fever. It is also having an antipyretic, antidiabetic, antibacterial, diuretic, hepatoprotective, antimicrobial, and antimetastatic properties.

Objective of present work is to standardize the aerial parts by morphology, microscopy and various physical constants. The morphology, microscopy, determination of various physical constants viz. ash values, extractive values, moisture content and phytochemical screening were performed.

Morphological study reveals that the leaf is green, linear-lanceolate, ovate, acute and entire; the stem is yellowish green, erect, simple with grooved branches, flowers are first pinkish afterward glistering white in color, seeds are black, polished and shining. Microscopically leaf shows presence of chollenchyma, 3-4 vascular bundles at the center, palisade cells on upper side only; and microscopically stem shows the presence of xylem vessel, cortex, vascular bundles and pith.

Total ash, acid insoluble ash, water soluble ash and sulphated ash of aerial parts was found to be 14.5 % w/w, 2.0 % w/w, 3.0 % w/w and 20.0 %w/w respectively. Water-soluble and alcohol soluble extractive values of aerial parts were found to be 16.2 % w/w, 6.0%w/w respectively. Moisture content of aerial parts was found to be 11.0 % w/w.