WOOD ANATOMY OF SEVEN SPECIES KNOWN AS "PAU-PARA-TUDO" IN BRAZIL

Claúdia Luizon Dias Leme

doi:10.1590/01047760201622032119

Abstract

ABSTRACT Different medicinal plant species can be sold under the same common name. Considering the importance of the correct identification, this study aims to separate, using wood anatomy, seven species popularly known as pau-para-tudo. The results show that Drimys brasiliensis is separated from the others by the presence of tracheids. Capsicodendron dinisii hhas scalariform perforation plates and oil cells associated with the axial parenchyma. Axial parenchyma paratracheal vasicentric and in marginal bands beyond the rays' width, can separate Osteophoeum platyspermum from Simaba cedron. Handroanthus serratifolius has the unique presence of the axial unilateral paratracheal parenchyma and storied cell elements (parenchyma, fibers and vessel elements). Rauvolfia sellowii and Leptolobium dasycarpum can be separated by the number of square/upright marginal ray cells, greater in Rauvolfia sellowii. Thus, this work shows that wood anatomy is a valuable tool for species separation, helps with the identification and consequently is important for the quality control of plant product.

Highlights

Medicinal plants are used in large scale owing to its low cost and ease of acquisition (PRESIBELLA et al, 2003)
Whereas the authenticity of the plant is essential for their safe use in folk medicine and for the production of drugs, this study aimed to separate through wood anatomy, considering qualitative and quantitative parameters, seven species popularly known as “paupara-tudo”: Drimys brasiliensis, Capsicodendron dinisii, Osteophloeum platyspermum, Rauvolfia sellowii, Simaba cedron, Handroanthus serratifolius and Leptolobium dasycarpum
Capsicodendron dinisii (Figure 1 C-H): a)Growth ring boundaries distinct, marked by thick-walled and radially flattening late wood fibers. b)Vessels diffuse, exclusively solitary, scalariform perforation plates, opposite intervessel pits and vessel-ray pits similar to intervessel pits. c)Thin walled fibers with distinctly bordered pits in tangential and radial walls. d)Axial parenchyma diffuse and diffuse-in-aggregates and rare paratracheal oil cells associated with axial parenchyma. e)Rays predominantly uniseriate, composed exclusively of procumbent cells with prismatic crystals

Summary

Introduction

Medicinal plants are used in large scale owing to its low cost and ease of acquisition (PRESIBELLA et al, 2003). (Simaroubaceae), Handroanthus serratifolius (Vahl) S.O.Grose (Bignoneaceae) and Leptolobium dasycarpum Volgel (Leguminosae), known as “pau-paratudo” or “pau-pra-tudo” (wood-for-everything), are sold as medicinal plants in open markets in Brazil (BARTH; BARBOSA, 1976; CAVALCANTE, 1983; SIENNA, 2008; BARATTO et al, 2010; SEGOVIA et al, 2011; TORRES et al, 2010; LIMA et al, 2011) Among all these species, Drimys brasiliensis stands out as an effective anti parasitic agent, according to studies of bark and stem done by Corrêa et al (2011) and Claudino et al (2013). Handroanthus serratifolius, in turn, whose one its synonym is Tabebuia serratifolia (Vahl) G.Nicholson, presents in both bark and stem, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti-allergic, healing and anti-tumor properties (MORAIS et al, 2005; BITENCOURT et al, 2014) and was described as having anti tripanossomial and leishmanial activity by GonzálezColoma et al (2012)

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