Pharmacopoeial Standardization of Alectra chitrakutensis (M. A. Rau.) R. Prasad & R. D. Dixit Found in Chitrakoot Region

Alectra chitrakutensis (M.A. Rau) R. Prasad & R.D. Dixit (Scrophulariaceae) is an endemic and critically endangered plant used in the treatment of various types of ailments and diseases like leprosy, tuberculosis, paralysis, piles, intestinal worms, constipation, leucorrhoea, fever, spermatorrhoea and as a blood purifier. Review of literature reveals that no pharmacognostical study has so far been carried out. The genuine whole plant sample of Alectra chitrakutensis was collected as a part of the study and subjected to macroscopic and microscopic investigation. The air-dried whole plant powder was extracted with different solvent systems such as hexane, acetone, chloroform, methanol, and ethanol and finally with sterile water and preliminary phytochemical analysis of the extracts including HPTLC assays were done and the R_f values were determined. Physico-chemical characters, fluorescence characters and extractive values of the whole plant powder in different solvent systems were also determined. The pharmacognostical parameters studied, may be used as a tool for the correct identification of the plant and also to test the adulterants if any. The present paper reports a systematic pharmacognostic study on Alectra chitrakutensis for the first time.