PHARMACOGNOSTIC AND PHYTOCHEMICAL STUDY OF IMPATIENS BALSAMINA LINN.

Impatiens balsamina Linn. (Family: Balsaminaceae) has been traditionally used for a variety of emetic, cathartic, diuretic, antimicrobial, rheumatic, pruritic and tumoural purposes as well as for the treatment of difficult labour and puerperal pain. In the present investigation, various pharmacognostic standards of the plant have been generated so that authentic I. balsamina could be explored for its traditional claims. Various parameters like macroscopic and microscopic characters of the leaves and stem of I. balsamina were studied along with physico-chemical and phytochemical analysis.  The macroscopic studies revealed that the stem is thick but soft, branched, pale green and swollen at the nodes; leaves were spirally-arranged, lanceolate shaped, smooth and were arranged on the stem in pairs. Microscopically, leaf showed the presence of epidermis, palisade cells, trichomes and vascular bundles; stem revealed the presence of epidermis, hypodermis, cortex, vascular bundles and pith. Total ash, acid insoluble ash, ethanol soluble extractive and water soluble extractive values were 10.54, 1.15, 2.0, 20 %w/w respectively. Preliminary phytochemical screening tests indicated presence of flavonoids, phenolics, alkaloids, saponins, carbohydrates, sterols and triterpenoids, tannins and coumarins. Since standardization of herbal medicines is essential for ensuring reproducible therapeutic action, data evolved in this investigation could be used in laying down pharmacopoeia standards for the drug studied.