PHARMACOGNOSTIC STUDIES AND QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS FOR PHYTOSTEROLS OF THE LEAVES OF BOMBAX CEIBA LINN.

Bombax ceiba Linn. is one of the important plant species used in various system of medicine. Almost every part of plant is used as medicine and its roots and flowers are used for curing maximum number of ailments. Leaves of the plants are also containing different important secondary metabolites. For the use as safe herbal medicine the plant material (leaves) has to be standardized with the establishment of a consistent biological activity. Pharmacognistic studies includes different Physicochemical parameters like Proximate analysis of plant material such as Fluorescence Analysis, percentage of loss on drying (Moisture content), Total ash, Acid Insoluble ash, Water Soluble ash, used for the standardization, as per guideline of the in Indian Pharmacopoeia. Evaluation of drug in this ways was done for the confirmation of its identity and determination of its quality and purity and detection of nature of adulteration. Sterols present in plant called as Phytosterols. Phytoesterols with the principle advantage that inhibit the absorption of cholesterol and lower serum cholesterol levels was detected by basic techniques like Histochemical Studies, Preliminary Phytochemical analysis and Thin Layer Chromatography in the leaves of Bombax ceiba Linn.