Pharmacognostical and Phytochemical Evaluation of Melissa parvifloraandHPTLC fingerprinting of its extracts

Melissa parviflora is an aromatic perennial herbaceous plant of Lamiaceae family; it is a brightly colored shrub or sub-shrub that ranges from 60-100cm in height. Leaves are ovate-obtuse. During summer the plant produces bunches of pink blue and more rarely white fragrant flowers. Flowers are bisexual, zygomorphic, rarely sub actinomorphic, bracteolate. The different extracts were subjected to preliminary phytochemical screening for the presence of carbohydrate, flavonoids, phenolics etc. The objective of the present investigation was the development of quality standards and phytochemical analysis of Melissa parviflora. This included organoleptic properties, pH of aqueous solution, ash values, extractive values, successive extractive values, and loss on drying, HPTLC finger printing profile and preliminary phytochemical screening. The findings of this study might be useful to supplement information in regard to its identification parameters assumed significantly in the way of acceptability of herbal drugs in present scenario lacking regulatory laws to control quality of herbal drugs.