Evaluation of Phytochemical Constituents and Dermal Antimicrobial Property of Ageratum Conyzoides Linn

Abstract

Since the beginning of the human civilization, plants have been the primary sources of drugs and the use of medicinal plants for healing predates the recorded history and every day new evidences are emerging that still push this recorded history even further in time. In fact even the modern medicine is dependent on plants for its medicine, a few instances- digoxin is used in cardiac problems and is obtained from digitalis leaf, quinine is an antimalarial drug and is obtained from cinchona bark, morphine is being used in palliative care in terminally ill cancer patients and this is obtained from opium poppy, aspirin is being used as an analgesic and also as antiplatelet drug and this is obtained from opium poppy. Globally 80% of the population is dependent on medicines obtained from plants for its primary health care issues and also for the alleviation of symptoms arising from ill health as these products are free from undesirable effects. There is also an ever growing demand for these plant based products in health care, nutrition, and in cosmetic industry. The present investigation is done in the field of phytopharmacology by Wound healing properties of Ageratum conyzoides (AC). It was studied on to the wounds by soaking sterile gauze in the extract and the wounds were histologically evaluated. The wounds treated with Ageratum conyzoides extract referred fewer inflammatory cells and more fibrosis than controls. It has been concluded that the ethyl acetate extract of ageratum conyzoides exhibits wound healing properties.