Micromorphological and Pharmacognostic Studies of Mussaenda philippica L. Flower

Mussaenda philippica Linn. belongs to the sub-family Ixoroideae which belongs to the family Rubiaceae. The aim of this study was to employ the quality control parameters in the evaluation of flowers of M. philippica L. The flowers were collected, identified, air dried and pulverized. Standard procedures were carried out to obtain microscopic features of the fresh and powdered samples, micromeritic, chemomicroscopy, flourescence properties, soluble-extractive values, moisture content and ash values. The results of the microscopic studies using the fresh and powdered flower revealed the presence of paracytic and anomocytic stomata on the abaxial surface of the flower (hypostomatic) and none on the adaxial. The abaxial surface also had a stomatal number of 13.6, stomatal index of 4.97% and epidermal number of 260.8 while the adaxial surface had an epidermal number of 304.4. The plant samples of the flower also possessed unicellular trichomes. Results of the micromeritic properties of the samples were bulk volume of 67.16±0.16, tapped volume of 48.00±0.57, bulk density of 0.14±0.00, tapped density of 0.20±0.00, angle of repose of 38.5°, Carr’s Index of 28.50±0.81 and Hausner’s ratio of 1.39±0.01. Chemomicroscopy study showed cellulose, mucilage and protein. The moisture content values obtained was13%w/w. Results for the total ash, acid-insoluble ash and water-soluble ash values were 7.7%w/w, 1.3%w/w and 4%w/w and for the ethanol-soluble, methanol-soluble and water-soluble extractive values were 33%w/w, 33%w/w and 36%w/w. The above results could be used to establish pharmacopoeial standards for both fresh and powdered flower of M. philippica.