Pharmacognostic study of some important hepatoprotective plants

Abstract

Pharmacognosy is the study of naturally occurring biological substances, principally those derived from plants that find use in medicine. The word “Pharmacognosy” is derived from the Greek “Pharmacon,” “a drug” and “gignosco,” to acquire knowledge of. It is closely related to both botany and plant chemistry and both originated from the earlier scientific studies on medicinal plant. In recent years there has been rapid increase in the standardization of selected medicinal plant of potential therapeutic significance. Despite the modern techniques, identification of plant drug by pharmacognostic study is more reliable. The three important hepatoprotective plants Buchanania lanzan Spreng (Anacardiaceae), Artocarpus hirsutus (Moraceae) and Terminalia coriacea (Roxb.) Wight & Arn. (Combretaceae) has been taken for Pharmacognostic study. This information will be of used for further pharmacological and therapeutical evaluation of the species and will assist in standardization for quality, purity and sample identification.