Pharmacognostic evaluation of the leaves and roots of Cassia sieberiana DC.

Cassia sieberiana DC. (Leguminosae - Caesalpinioideae), commonly known as drumstick and ‘aridantooro’ in Yoruba, is a perennial tree native to Africa. It is used in ethno-medicine to manage arthritis and rheumatism. Pharmacological activities such as myorelaxant, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial have been reported in literature. Pharmacognostic investigation including microscopy, chemomicroscopy, physicochemical analysis and phytochemical investigations including thin layer chromatographic finger printing were conducted on fresh and powdered leaf and root samples of this plant. The macro and microscopic studies revealed the leaves to be simple, petiolated, glabrous and pinnately veinnated. The lower epidermal surface is characterized by abundant anomocytic stomata, polygonal epidermal cells and numerous uniseriate, unicellular trichomes. Quantitative leaf analysis revealed the following: stomatal number (163.8), stomatal index (19.04), palisade ratio (17.01), vein islet number (56.45) and vein termination number (61.45). Chemomicroscopic characters present include lignins, tannins, mucilage, starch, oils and calcium oxalate crystals. The physicochemical parameters evaluated are moisture content of 6.3%, total ash of 4.2%, acid-insoluble ash of 3.4%, sulphated ash of 11.0%, water-soluble ash of 0.8%, alcohol-soluble extractive of 21.3%, and water-soluble extractive of 16.7%. Chromatographic fingerprints of ethanol 70% extracts show major spots at Rf = 0.18 daylight (brown), UV366 (deep brown), spray reagent at 100°C (brown); Rf = 0.57 daylight (brown), UV366 (deep brown), spray reagent at 100°C (brown); Rf = 0.89 daylight (green), UV366 (red), spray reagent at 100°C (brown). The pharmacognostic evaluation of the leaves of C. sieberiana is reported here for the first time. The results of this research provide information which can be included in official monograph of the plant for its proper identification and quality control.   Key words: Cassia sieberiana, pharmacognostic studies, physicochemical studies, chemomicroscopy.