Pharmacognostical, Preliminary Phytochemical Screening, Pharmacobotany and DNA Barcoding Characterization of Calliandra haematocephala Leaves (Hassk)

Abstract

Background: Calliandra haematocephala Hassk commonly known as the red powder puff, is a small ornamental shrub belonging to the family Fabaceae. It is widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions, including India, Southeast Asia, Africa, and Central America. Though popularly cultivated for its vibrant crimson flowers, the plant also holds considerable ethnomedicinal value. Traditionally, various parts of Calliandra haematocephala have been used in the treatment of inflammatory disorders, epilepsy, fever, bacterial infections, and as a natural blood purifier. Tribal and folk communities (Ogbomoso, Oyo State) have employed its extracts for their anti-inflammatory, anticonvulsant, immunomodulatory, and antibacterial properties.

Materials and methods: Leaves were collected from the Alagarkoil foot Hills, Madurai district, Tamil Nadu in the month of March 2025.It was authenticated by Dr. Stephen, Professor of Botany, The American College, Madurai-625002. Collected leaves were washed with water, shade dried powdered and aqueous extract were prepatred. The extract was concentrated and stored in airtight container for further use. These compounds are believed to contribute to its therapeutic potential. In the present study, fresh leaves of Calliandra haematocephala were collected, cleaned and crushed to juice using blender, the resulting juice was used for further analysis.

Results and Discussion: The study was evaluated for the pharmacognostical characteristics, physicochemical parameters, qualitative and quantitative estimation of Calliandra haematocephala leaves along with evolution of phenetics analysis.