Importance of pharmacognostic study of medicinal plants: An overview

Abstract

The present review discusses the need and emphasizes the importance of pharmacognostic study of medicinal plants. This study is important and lays down parameters for standardization and authentication of medicinal plants with the help of which adulteration and substitution can be prevented. All the parameters to be evaluated in pharmacognostic study such as organoleptic characters, macroscopic study, microscopic study, powder study, physico chemical analysis (moisture content, loss on drying, ash values, extractive values), phytochemical analysis, fluorescence analysis are enlisted along with their importance. In the end 55 plants whose pharmacognostic studies have been done are listed along with their family and part evaluated for pharmacognostic study.