Comparative foliar anatomical and pollen morphological studies of Acanthaceae using light microscope and scanning electron microscope for effective microteaching in community.

In this study, foliar anatomy and pollen morphology of 10 species of Acanthaceae has been investigated using light and scanning electron microscopy. The study was aimed to highlight the role of microscopy in microteaching at community for proper characterization of plants using palyno-anatomical characters including pollen type, exine sculpturing, shape of epidermal cells, pattern of anticlinal wall, type and size of stomata, and trichome. Most of the species have polygonal cell shapes but some species have irregular, tetragonal, and pentagonal shape of epidermal cells. The largest epidermal cell length on adaxial and abaxial surface were observed in Asystasia gangetica 66.95 and 87.40 µm whereas least was observed on adaxial surface in Justicia adhatoda 36.9 µm and on abaxial surface in Barleria cristata 35.65 µm. In anatomy, species have diacytic type of stomata, whereas stomata of paracytic type observed in two species, while in A. gangetica cyclocytic type of stomata are present. Quantitively on abaxial surface, largest stomata length 29.9 µm and width 24.30 µm was noted in B. cristata. While shortest stomata length was observed in Ruellia prostrata 25.95 µm whereas minimum width of stomata was examined in Barleria acanthoides 2.05 µm. The diversity of trichomes are present in all species except in Ruellia brittoniana. Acanthaceae can be characterized by exhibiting different pollen morphology having five types of pollen shapes, prolate, spheroidal, perprolate, subprolate, and oblate spheroidal. Exine peculiarities showing variations such as reticulate, granulate, coarsely reticulate, lophoreticulate, perforate tectate, and granulate surface were examined.

Clinacanthus nutans: a review on ethnomedicinal uses, chemical constituents and pharmacological properties.

CONTEXT: Medicinal plants have attracted global attention for their hidden therapeutic potential. Clinacanthus nutans (Burm.f) Lindau (Acanthaceae) (CN) is endemic in Southeast Asia. CN contains phytochemicals common to medicinal plants, such as flavonoids. Traditionally, CN has been used for a broad range of human ailments including snake bites and cancer. OBJECTIVES: This article compiles the ethnomedicinal uses of CN and its phytochemistry, and thus provides a phytochemical library of CN. It also discusses the known pharmacological and biological effects of CN to enable better investigation of CN. METHODS: This literature review was limited to articles and websites published in the English language. MEDLINE and Google Scholar databases were searched from December 2014 to September 2016 using the following keywords: "Clinacanthus nutans" and "Belalai gajah". The results were reviewed to identify relevant articles. Information from relevant selected studies was systematically analyzed from contemporary ethnopharmacological sources, evaluated against scientific literature, and extracted into tables. RESULTS: The literature search yielded 124 articles which were then further scrutinized revealing the promising biological activities of CN, including antimicrobial, antiproliferative, antitumorigenic and anti-inflammatory effects. Few articles discussed the mechanisms for these pharmacological activities. Furthermore, CN was beneficial in small-scale clinical trials for genital Herpes and aphthous stomatitis. CONCLUSION: Despite the rich ethnomedicinal knowledge behind the traditional uses of CN, the current scientific evidence to support these claims remains scant. More research is still needed to validate these medicinal claims, beginning by increasing the understanding of the biological actions of this plant.

Comparative anatomy, morphology, and molecular phylogenetics of the African genus Satanocrater (Acanthaceae).

PREMISE OF THE STUDY: Anatomical and morphological features of Satanocrater were studied to test hypotheses of xeric adaptations in the genus, which is endemic to arid tropical Africa. These features, together with molecular data, were used to test the phylogenetic placement of Satanocrater within the large plant family Acanthaceae. METHODS: We undertook a comparative study of four species of Satanocrater. Carbon isotope ratios were generated to test a hypothesis of C(4) photosynthesis. Molecular data from chloroplast (trnG-trnS, trnG-trnR, psbA-trnH) and nuclear (Eif3E) loci were used to test the placement of Satanocrater within Acanthaceae. KEY RESULTS: Anatomical features reflecting xeric adaptations of species of Satanocrater included a thick-walled epidermis, thick cuticle, abundant trichomes and glandular scales, stomata overarched by subsidiary cells, tightly packed mesophyll cells, and well-developed palisade parenchyma on both leaf surfaces. Although two species had enlarged bundle sheath cells, a feature often implicated in C(4) photosynthesis, isotope ratios indicated all species of Satanocrater use the C(3) pathway. Molecular data resolved Satanocrater within tribe Ruellieae with strong support. Within Ruellieae, our data suggest that pollen morphology of Satanocrater may represent an intermediate stage in a transition series. CONCLUSIONS: Anatomical and morphological features of Satanocrater reflect adaptation to xeric environments and add new information about the biology of xerophytes. Morphological and molecular data place Satanocrater in the tribe Ruellieae with confidence. This study adds to our capacity to test hypotheses of broad evolutionary and ecological interest in a diverse and important family of flowering plants.

[Pharmacognostic studies on mangrove Acanthus ilicifolius].

OBJECTIVE: In order to prove a basis for rational exploitation and utilization of the herb, the charaeteristic feature for Acanthus iliciflius was studied. METHOD: The botanical and pharmacognostic features of the collected original plant were stadied. RESULT: A. ilicifolius showed obvious pharmacognostic characters. The aerate cells of the root were upgrowth. and four vascular bundles were found in leaf venation. CONCLUSION: The distinct characteristic features revealed in this studies can serve as evidence for the identification of A. ilicifolius.

[Pharmacognostic identification of dried twigs and leaves of Taraphochlamys affinis (Giff) Bremekhu].

The pharmacognosy of Taraphochlamys affinis (Giff) Bremekhu was studied by microscopic observation to provide a scientific basis for the identification, development and utilization of its resources. As a result, obvious characteristics for its identification were revealed, which could be used to identify twigs and leaves of Taraphochlamys affinis (Giff) Bremekhu.