Anatomy and histochemistry of the vegetative organs of Cissus verticillata: a native medicinal plant of the Brazilian Amazon

Abstract

Abstract:The purpose of this paper was to carry out an anatomical and histochemical analysis of the vegetative organs of Cissus verticillata (L.) Nicolson & C.E. Jarvis, Vitaceae, to contribute for the attest the taxonomic identity of the medicinal plant. Samples from root, stem, leaf and tendril were cleared, dissociated and processed according to the usual methodology for observation under light and scanning electron microscopes. Histochemical tests were performed in order to identify polysaccharides, phenolic and lipid compounds. The C. verticillata root is typically protostelic, and the stem is eustelic with collateral bundles. The tendril presents structural organization similar to the stem, suggesting a common origin for both. The petiole has an epidermis with ornamented cuticle; the cortex is composed of collenchyma and parenchyma, and the vascular tissues are arranged in collateral bundles. The leaf blade is amphistomatic with non-glandular and glandular trichomes, and the mesophyll is dorsiventral. The identifi cation of the idioblasts as secretion site of the phenolic compounds, mucilage and terpenoids as being responsible for the potential activity of the plant is of fundamental importance for future bioprospecting research on this species.

Cissus verticillata (L.) Nicolson and C.E. Jarvis (Vitaceae): Its identification and usage in the sources from 16th to 19th century

“…Simões et al (2004) reported a contemporary ethnopharmacological usage of the aerial parts in haemorrhage. Tannins, which are usually responsible for this effect, were detected both in the herb and in the roots by Oliveira et al (2012). The modern ethnomedical usage in abscesses (Viana et al, 2004) as well as old ethnopharmacological observations from Haiti (the juice to heal wounds, the leaves to wrap vesicating wounds) by Descourtilz (1829), can be also referred to the styptic action of tannins and probably to bacteriostatic action of essential oils, too.…”

“…In traditional medicine of Brazil aerial parts of the plant are used against rheumatism, epilepsy and stroke, and also in the treatment of diabetes mellitus type 2 (Viana et al, 2004;Oliveira et al, 2012). In ethnic medicine it is administered as a tea prepared from the vegetative parts (Oliveira et al, 2012), a leaf decoction was reported too (Lino et al, 2007).…”

“…In ethnic medicine it is administered as a tea prepared from the vegetative parts (Oliveira et al, 2012), a leaf decoction was reported too (Lino et al, 2007). The latter recommendation is reported as a widely known one in popular medicine (Lino et al, 2007;Trojan-Rodrigues et al, 2012), therefore one of the vernacular names of Cissus verticillata in Brazil is insulina vegetal i.e.…”

“…Idioblasts in the whole vegetative body of the plant are secretion sites of the phenolic compounds (especially tannins), essential oils and polysaccharides (including mucilage). These cells are primarily responsible for the pharmacological activities of the plant (Oliveira et al, 2012). The phenolic compounds and essential oils determine the usage in the traditional medicine against various diseases, e.g.…”

“…In the secretory idioblasts of the root cortex and root pith, mucilage, polysaccharides, tannins and essential oils were found. The taste of the root bark is determined mostly by tannins and essential oils (Oliveira et al, 2012) but the smell can hardly be termed aromatic. Tannins are bitterish and acrid, essential oils are bitterish and aromatic, and the plant exudes a sticky juice-all this reconciles to the Hernández's (1651) observations: "…a glutinous root […] without conspicuous taste" and hence the adjective glutinosa in the Hernández's polynomial.…”