A Pharmacognostical study of salix species growing in Egypt

The genus alix iepreseuts one of the most important members of family alic.eae. ince ancient times, aiix species had been commonly used in folk medicine as anti— rheumatics analgesic, atipyretic, antifibri.le, antimalarial, laxative, hypoglycemic, contraceptive in treatment o± sores, burn and slow continuou fever. For this reason, they have been the subject of some investigatior.In Egypt there are three species o± Salix widely distributed throughout th ii1e Valley and have been growin, since the days of the c.ent igyptato whom they sacred. These species areSalix safeaf Forsk. , Salix tetrasperma Roxb. andSali.x babyloniea Linné.The data published in the literature concerning tho phytochemical study of these species were rather meagre and inadequate. Therefore, the following rk, which includes a comprehensive chemical study of the £oreinentiond species was carried out to find the potentialities of their use as medicinal agents. Thc samples required for analysis were obtained from plants rowin on the banks of river L’ile and Canals in iansoura ann Guiza.