Pharmacognostic standardization of leaves of Melaleuca leucadendron

Abstract

Introduction

Essential oil of Melaleuca leucadendron used as antimycotic and antimicrobial. The oil also used as antiinflammation and antifungal.

Methods

The present study will assist in standardization for quality, purity and sample identification. Various standardization parameters like morphological characters, microscopic evaluation, physicochemical evaluations) preliminary phytochemical screening and TLC chromatographic profile of the extract were carried out and the qualitative parameters were reported.

Result

In the pharmacognostical studies, in an attempt to standardize the leaves of M. leucadendron have been shown which will be definitely useful to the future scientist for the identification of the plants.

Conclusion

These studies provide referential information for correct identification and standardization of this plant material.

Introduction

The World Health Organization estimates that 80% of the world's population relies on herbal medicine. Meanwhile, the use of herbs in the United States is expanding rapidly, to the point where herbal products are readily found in most pharmacies and supermarkets. From 1990 to 1997, as the use of complementary and alternative medicine rose from 34 to 42%, herbal use quadrupled from 3 to 12%. It is worth remembering that these rapid changes have come not through the medical profession, but by popular demand. The public has discovered that natural medicines often provide a safe, effective, and economical alternative to pharmaceuticals, and research validates this finding. The majority of those who use herbal and high-dose vitamin products fail to tell their physicians. Either they assume that these products are harmless and not worth mentioning or they fear being ridiculed by doctors sceptical about their use. These same doctors, however, must begin to familiarize themselves with the subject. Aside from the advantages of the natural products, herb–drug interactions are a growing concern: almost one in five prescription drug users also using supplements.¹ India has a rich heritage of traditional medicines and the traditional health care systems have been flourishing for many centuries. It mainly consist of three major systems namely Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani systems of Medicine.² In almost all the traditional systems of medicine, the quality control aspect has been considered from its inspection itself by the Rishis and later by the Vaidya and Hakims. However, in modern concept it requires necessary changes in their approach. Quality control and quality assurance is an integral part of traditional medicines, which ensures that it delivers the required quantity of quality medicament.³ Essential oil of Melaleuca leucadendron possessed antimicrobial and antifungal activities.⁴ chloroform and methanol extracts of the fruits of M. leucadendron strongly inhibited histamine release from rat mast cells induced by compound 48/80 or concanavalin A. Ursolic acid, a triterpene, was the most active compound contained in the chloroform extract and two stilbenes, piceatannol and oxyresveratrol, were isolated as active compounds from the methanol extract.⁵ New lupane-type nortriterpene and 13 known compounds from the leaves of M. leucadendron. Based on chemical and spectral methods, the structure of the new compound was elucidated as 28-norlup-20(29)-ene-3beta,17beta-diol, while the known compounds were identified as (2E,6E)-farnesol, phytol, squalene, alloaromadendrene, ledene, palustrol, viridiflorol, ledol, betulinaldehyde, betulinic acid, 3beta-acetyl-lup-20(29)-en-28-oic acid, 3-oxolup-20(29)-en-28-oic acid, and platanic acid.⁶ Four new triterpenes, eupha-7,24-diene-3beta,22beta-diol (1), 20-taraxastene-3alpha,28-diol (2), 3alpha,27-dihydroxy-28, 20beta-taraxastanolide (3), and 3alpha-hydroxy-13(18)-oleanene-27, 28-dioic acid (4) have been isolated from the heartwood of M. leucadendron. The structures and stereochemistry of 1–4 have been determined by spectroscopic analysis, with compounds 3 and 4 being investigated in the forms of their diacetate (3a) and dimethyl (4a) derivative, respectively.⁷ The essential oil of M. leucadendron. (tea tree) against the Gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli AG100, the Gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus NCTC 8325, and the yeast Candida albicans has been using a range of methods. The essential oil of M. leucadendron. (tea tree) exhibits broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity.⁸ The tree oil reduces histamine-induced skin inflammation.⁹ In vitro susceptibility of oral bacteria to M. leucadendron oil and found that a range of oral bacterial are susceptible to tea tree oil. Investigation was also made on the in vitro antifungal activity of the components of M. leucadendron oil and found active.¹⁰ However no scientific standards or pharmacognostic parameters are yet available to determine the quality of this crude drug. Thus the present study was designed to evaluate the pharmacognostic parameters of M. leucadendron leaves.