Pharmacognostic and high performance thin layer chromatography finger printing of Pyrus malus Linn

Background: Pyrus malus L. Syn. Malus sylvestris Mill., commonly known as 'Apple' is a well known tree belonging to the family Rosaceae. Leaves and young aerial parts are used as medicine in homoeopathy. Objective: The Pharmacognostic and physico-chemical studies are carried out to facilitate use of correct species and standard raw materials. Material and Methods: Pharmacognostic examinations of aerial parts (leaf, petiole and stem) of authentic sample of Pyrus malus L., have been carried out. Physico-chemical parameters of raw drug viz., extractive value, ash values, formulation besides weight per mL, total solids, alcohol content along with high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) and UV-visible studies have been worked out for mother tincture. Results: The leaves are ovate to oblong, margin serrate, acute, glabrous above and tomentose beneath with a short petiole. The leaf is hypostomatic with anomocytic stomata. Uniseriate macroform flagellate conical and unicellular filiform cylindrical hairs occur on the leaf. In transverse section (TS) the midvein is conspicuously ridged on abaxial side. Epidermis is 1-layered with larger cells on abaxial. Cells over midvein are papillated. Palisade is 2-layered. The vascular bundle at midvein is single, large and arc shaped. The petiole in T.S. is shield like with an adaxial groove. The cortex is aerenchymatous towards adaxial. The vascular tissue consists of a single, large, arcuate bundle and two small adaxial bundles. The young stem is oval to spherical. The vascular tissue is in the form of a continuous cylinder. 1-3 seriate rays are present in the xylem. The xylem towards the centre possess secretory canals arranged in a ring. Conclusion: The powder microscopic features and organoleptic characters along with the anatomical and physico-chemical studies are diagnostic to establish the standards for the drug.