Pharmacognostical, physicochemical, and phytochemical investigation of Allium wallichii Kunth (An unexplored and underutilised traditional aromatic plant from Himalayan regions)

Abstract

Allium wallichii (A. wallichii) Kunth is considered one of the underutilised, threatened, and unexplored medicinal plant species having several beneficial health-promoting actions. Moreover, being so popularised in both ethnobotanical and traditional systems, still, the plant is less studied in terms of proper pharmacognostic standardisation. The main objective of the current work is to establish standard pharmacognostic, physiochemical and phytochemical analytical parameters for routine quality control of A. wallichii Kunth. Intact leaves, powdered plant materials, and various extracts viz petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, methanol, ethanol, hydro-alcohol and water (aqueous) were investigated following the prescribed guidelines of World Health Organization (WHO) standardisation of herbs. Morphological, microscopic, physiochemical (including all extractive, loss on drying and ash values) and preliminary phytochemical analysis of A. wallichii Kunth is presented and discussed to establish the standard quality control parameters. Additionally, high performance thin layer chromatographic (HPTLC) fingerprinting for A. wallichii Kunth extract and fractions were also incorporated. The outcome of the current research will add value for routine quality control to secure the safety and efficacy of A. wallichii Kunth (both crude and processed drug) in terms of future commercialisation.