Fingerprints of two medicinal species of Alternanthera - A. ficoidea and A. sessilis to facilitate differentiation in dried form

Amaranthaceae family members are of folkloric importance. Present work aims to evaluate differentiation between two species Alternanthera ficoidea and Alternanthera sessilis. Plant samples were collected and authenticated. Powder microscopy, phytochemical, physicochemical, HPTLC photo documentation & fingerprint profiling (n-hexane, successive chloroform, successive ethanol) and HPLC analysis of both samples were performed. Powder microscopic studies of both species were carried out and the characteristic features were captured and documented. Physico-chemical investigation divulged the different ash content of two species. Phytochemical investigation revealed the variance of secondary metabolites in different extracts of the samples. Photo documentation as well as fingerprint profile by HPTLC followed spectral comparison and HPLC analysis confirmed the presence of common compounds in different extracts of the selected species.