Pharmacogn 1.2017; 9(6}:750-756 scan aan ce Original Article Pharmacognostic, Phytochemical and Physicochemical Investigations of Hypericum hookerianum Wight & Arn. (Hypericaceae) of Palni Hills, India Mahendrakumar M', Nirmalraj $', Ravikumar M', Bharath B!, Seeni S?, Perinbam K’ Mahendrakumar M', Nirmalraj S', Ravikumar Mi, Bharath ’B’, Seni S#, Perinbam K’ "PG ane Reseach Deparment of Pht Bicoay ana Phe Biotecneatony, Cove ‘rents Calle or Men Azores, ‘Senool of Bareeneas, Mir hana ‘Calge fo Aavenced States (WAEFAST, Trav, Kerb, NOTA Conespondence Perinbam K, PC an Resear De partment of Pins Biology and Pant Betechelogy, Governor Ars Colege forMen atonoreus Nareanr, Prove no +9°9940867205 mal drperinsso7a¢gral com History 1 Submision Date: 22.052017; + Rovew completed 08-56-2017 + peceptes Date: 088-2017 oI: 1ossso/pi20176.1 Artele Avaliable online ipifneng coms (© 2017 PheogNet. This is an oper lncess sel etrbuted under tne ems tthe Ceatve Comsmans Atrbutan 48 Phcog 750 ABSTRACT Introduetion: Hypericum hookerianum Wight and Arn, (Hooker's wort! is a lesser known un- familiar yet ertically endangered native therapeutically active native medicinal plant. Itis be- ing characterized by the presence of various secretory glands. Methodology: In this present sludy, characterzation of the plant in terms of morphology, anatomy and histochemistry of tissues and phytochomicals and antimicrobial potentials were mado. Results: The epidermal layer contains oil cells while histochemistry showed the presence of the secondary metabo- lites. Quaitative analysis indicated presence of maximum phytocompounds in the high polar ethanolic extract: flavonoids, anthocyanin and phenol are prominently present and quant*ed, Conelusion: The results suggest that the less studied herb, H. hookerianumis a multifaceted high value species having a wide range of phytochemicals with abundant medicinal proper ties. Key werds: Hypericum hookerianum, Pharmacognosy, Physiochemistry, Pali Hil INTRODUCTION Hypericum ie large genus oferb, shrubs and some- times trees comprising 490 species of 36 sections! ‘hey cepresent a large pool of natural resource for phytochemical, pharmacological and product develop- ‘ment investigations as they accumulate harmacologi- cally important secondary metabolites. Many of the species contain structurally and functionally diverse phenolics, davonoide and therapeutically important phenolic derivatives the dianthrone. bypericins and the prenyated phloroglucinal, hyperforin. Ue highest levele ofthe chemicals ate found at fll lowering stage ‘hen almost ll the plants ofthe genus are widely used in folk medicine in diferent parts of the world. The rowing interest in the wrage of Hypericum in tradi- tonal medicine is de to several reasone the principal fone being that modern medicine has invariably side cffects and ite corts axe prohibitive. Among an esti- mated 27 species reported from India including the most popular and productized, Hperforatum and the recently investigated 1. hookerianum, a high alugude shrub of the Himalayas and the Western Ghats Hypericum hookerianum Wight and Arn Also known, ae Norysca hookeriana Wight and Arn, commonly known in Nepal as Mchandiphel, ie a round topped shrub with weakly spreading, non-crect branches ‘with golden-yellow flowers alse distributed in Sikkim, Xhasiand Jaintia hills of Himalayas and in the high alutudes (52300 m) of the Nigiis and Palni hills of Cite this article : Mahendrakumar M, Nirmalraj S, Ravikumar M, Bharath 8, S the Western Ghats the terete shrubs are 2-2.5 m in Iheight, with rather Naccid ovate leaves, set bifarious, mucronate to mucronate at apex.*Ihe tribal people of the Shola forest (Tamil Nadu) in Palni hills use ‘the aerial parte ofthe plant for treating burns and ‘wounds demonstrated by Mulkherje and Sureshto |have wound healing properties. The Toda tribe of ‘the Palni hille uses as a folklore medicine for ite diferent therapeutic potentials, including anti depressant, spasmelytic, stimulant, hypotensive and antifungalactivites‘Leaf anatomy of hypericum species differ greatly and isthe base for not only identifying the species but also grouping them under diferent taxonomic criteria, Anatomical features in terme of types of glands present, secretions ofthe glands, interconnecting and extension of the duct, quality ofthe products ofthe secretory lands and phytochemical profiles ofthe secretion play an important in diferentiating the species Ihe anatomy and ultrastructure ofthe cavities in the internodes, leaves and petals varied extensively between species of Hypericum, expecially in H. hookerianun, The secondary growth ie mote extensive in shrubs (HL inodorum and H. forest) The petals also differ between species inthe mesophyll structures and the occurrence and location of secondary struc- tures! It is against this background, the phar- rmacognostic profile, anatomy of the secretory S, Perinbam K. Pharmacagnostic, Pryiochemical and Physicochemical Investigations of Hypericurn hookeria~ ‘num Wight & Amn. (Hypericaceae} of Palni Hills, India, Pharmacog J. 2017;9(6):750-6, nosy Journal, Vol, sue 8, Nov-Dec 2017