A Comparative Pharmacognostic Study on the Leaf, Stem and Root Components of Gymnema sylvestre (Retz) R. Br. ex. Sm

Gymnema sylvestre is commonly used in indigenous system of medicine to control diabetes mellitus and is a source of various chemical constituents which are medicinally important. There is much scope to study pharmacognosy of this potent antidiabetic plant. Pharmacognostic study of leaf, stem and roots was performed. For quantitative microscopy of leaf the authors observed stomatal index 12 per mm 2 area. The studied plant material showed the presence of saponin, proteins, sugars, alkaloids while starch is absent in leaf, stem and root. Phytochemical analysis of plant material showed saponins, proteins, reducing sugars and fats present in all samples. For percent extractive values methanolic extract showed highest extractive value in leaf (6.25), stem (4.9) and root (1.75) while benzene showed lowest extractive values in leaf (1.2), stem (0.5) and root (0.5). The distilled water, acetone, absolute alcohol, petroleum ether and chloroform showed moderate percentage extractive value. The total ash content of leaf (0.083) was higher than that of stem (0.047) and root (0.036), and acid insoluble ash of stem (0.02) was higher than that of leaf (0.01) and root (0.001). The authors observed quantity of gymnemic acid for leaf, stem and root as 33.52, 22.20 and 13.00 mg/g DW respectively by high performance thin layer chromatography.