Ethnopharmacognostical Screening of Clitoria ternatea Linn

Clitoria ternatea L. var. pilosula Wall. from ancient times has a place in the heart of Hindus due to its sacred value for the lord Shiva. This plant have dual significance firstly, they are promising future food secondly, these medicinal plants can have some active constituents for future pharmaceutical study. They are used in the treatment of a number of ailments including body-aches, infections, urinogenital disorders and as antihelmintic and antidote to animal stings. Establishing the standard is an essential step to identify the quality and purity of the drug. This can be achieved through the pharmacognostical and phytochemical analysis. In present study investigation of macroscopic, microscopic characters were studied along with powder behaviour, fluorescence studies and phytochemical screening etc. Fluorescence analysis showed the plant sample is free of any foreign matter and adulternants. The reaction of the leaves powder with different chemical indicated the presence of the compound such as phenol, coumarins, alkaloids, tannin, xanthoprotein and reducing sugar. The pharmacognostical study helps to reveal the purity of the sample. The study establishes the pharmacognostical and physico-chemical standards of the crude drug and helps to differentiate the plant sample from the adulterants.