PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING AND EVALUATION OF ANTI-DIARRHEAL POTENTIALITY OF PLUMERIA ALBA LINN. LEAVES

Plumeria alba Linn. belonging to the family Apocynaceae (Dogbane family) is the flowering plant. P. alba is used as a purgative, rubefacient in rheumatism, asthma, piles, gonorrhea, blood disorders and tumors, mentioned in the traditional system of medicine. The present study was carried out to establish the pharmacognostic studies, physicochemical parameters along with a preliminary phytochemical screening of various extracts of P. alba leaves. The methanolic extract of the leaves of the plant was screened for anti-diarrheal potentiality. The macroscopical and microscopical characteristics of powdered drug were studied. The transverse section of leaf indicated the arrangement of various cells in epidermal, lamina, and midrib regions. The preliminary phytochemical screening of various extracts revealed the presence of phytoconstituents, including alkaloid, glycosides, phenolic and tannins, flavonoids, and sterols. The physicochemical parameters such as total ash and acid insoluble ash (9.5 and 7.3% w/w respectively), loss on drying (0.5% w/w), and extractive values water-soluble and alcohol-soluble (10.0 and 4.2% respectively) of powder drug were studied. These studies will be helpful to establish standards for quality, purity, and sample identification of P. alba Linn. The anti-diarrheal activity of methanolic extract of leaves of P. alba showed the percentage inhibition of diarrheal feaces in castor oil-induced diarrhea is significant as compared to the standard drug loperamide (5mg/kg).