Pharmacognostic and Wound Healing Studies of the Leaves of Bassia eriophora (Family: Chenopodiaceae) on Albino Rats

Objective: To study the pharmacognostic profile and wound healing effect of aerial parts of Bassia eriophora (Family: Chenopodiaceae), a wild plant in Saudi Arabia, on albino rats.
Methods: The microscopy, phytochemical and physiochemical evaluation of the Bassia eriophora aerial parts were carried out according to the standard procedure based on WHO guidelines. Toxicity and wound healing effects of this plant was performed to explore the medicinal values.
Results: Microscopically aerial parts of Bassia eriophora contains paracytics stomata, Long covering trichome, phloem fibers in a groups, spiny pollen grain, tannin containing cells, rosette crystals of calcium oxalate, spiral vessels, xylem vessels and fibers which serve as useful pharmacopoeial parameters for identifications. Preliminary phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of alkaloids, carbohydrates, glycosides, phytosterols, phenolic compounds, saponins terpens, tannins and flavonoids in alcohol extract. Physiochemical parameters such as total ash (20.62±0.30), moisture content (6.56±0.04) were revealed while distilled water extractive values was found more when compared with methanol extracts. The gel of Bassia eriophora was prepared and doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg were applied on excision wound. Significant reduction (p≤0.001) in wound size was observed.
Conclusion: In the present studies pharmacognostics parameters of Bassia plants was established and pharmacologically it showed a non toxic and the use of gel containing Bassia eriophora extract as a wound-healing agent.