Pharmacognostic study of roots and aerial parts of less explored Heracleum candicans Wall. ex DC.from Betaab Valley, Pahalgam, Kashmir, India

362-373Plant derived products have sparked considerable attention due to their versatile applications. The plants are among the richest bio-resource of drugs for traditional and modern medicines and leads for synthetic drug development and various pharmaceutical intermediates. Heracleum candicans Wall. ex DC. is reported as a medicinal herb of Apiaceae family. It is also known as White-leaf Hogweed and traditionally reported to be effective in various disease conditions like skin diseases, sunburn, and external tumours. The present work deals with the pharmacognostic evaluations of root and aerial parts of H.candicans. Macroscopic and microscopic analysis was carried out along with various physicochemical analysis,phytochemical screening as well as thin layer chromatography studies. Moreover, the presence of heavy toxic metals byICP-OES method was also evaluated. The pharmacognostic studies of H. candicans showed the presence of prismaticcalcium oxalate crystals, anomocytic stomata, reticulate and spiral xylem vessels along with lignified fibres with two typesof covering trichomes. Preliminary phytochemical studies revealed the occurrence of carbohydrates, flavonoids, phenols,tannins, saponins, phytosterols, diterpenes, coumarins, cardiac glycosides, fats and oils. The estimation of variousphysicochemical constants could be beneficial in determining various quality control standards for crude drug. The findingsfrom this study would be beneficial for the identification of H. candicans