Aspectos anatômicos etnofarmacológicos de Abuta grandifolia (Mart.) Sandwith (Menispermaceae) como contribuição ao estudo farmacognóstico de plantas da Amazônia

Abstract

Abuta grandifolia (Mart.) Sandwith (Menispermaceae) known as abuta or abota, is an Amazonian medicinal plant used against diseases of the feminine reproductive apparel, as anti- inflammatory, antidiabetic and other. The ethnopharmacological and anatomical study of medicinal plants are relevant, to explain of they seek of because as properties, applications and therapeutic uses of the vegetables. The objective of this work was to obtain ethnopharmacological information of the abuta in Manaus and to characterize anatomically their vegetative organs. The botanical material was collected in the Forest Reservation Adolpho Ducke (Manaus-AM). The ethnopharmacological study was carried at the main markets and fairs of Manaus, through semi-structured interviews and open, with merchants and users of medicinal plants. For the anatomical study were collected samples of leaf, stem and root of 5 individuals of A. grandifolia. Samples of leaf lamina were cleared, dissociated and also processed for Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) view, following usual methodology. Fragments of the stem and root were included in polyethylenglycol 2000 (PEG 2000), for sectionings in a sliding microtome, stained with astra blue and safranina, mounted with Balm of Canada. Fresh cuts of stem and root were submitted to microchemical tests, to identify the chemical nature of the secreted compounds, as well as in fresh cuts of the leaf. Are present secretory sacs in pulvine, petiole and main vein. The root with periderm, parenchymatous cortex with stone cells, collateral vascular bundles, forming the ring and surrounded by sclerenchyma, radial parenchyma with cells of thick walls and lignified medulla is absent. The young stem possess epidermi with cells of thick walls and lignified, presents thick cuticle, parenchyma tous cortex with sclerenchymatous tissues, collateral vascular bundles surrounded by sclerenchymatous fibres, tylosis, radial parenchyma with lignified cells of thick walls and medular parenchyma. The epidermis of leaf lamina is uniseriate with lignified and thick walls cells, covered by cuticle, estomata in the lower limb surface; homogeneous mesophyll with collateral vascular bundles covered by sclerenchymatous hem. Petiole and pulvine with epidermis covered by cuticle layer thick, stone cells in the cortical parenchyma of pulvine and layers of fibers in the petiole, with larger number of layers in the pulvine; both with collateral vascular bundles surrounded by an arch of sclerenchymatous fibres. The microchemical tests confirmed starch in all of the studied organs; phenolic compounds in the secretory sacs of the leaf; pectin substances in the vessels of xylem of the stem and root and in the cells in sclerification process of the pulvine; alkaloid in the sclerenchymatous cells of the cortical parenchyma and in cells of the ray of the stem and the root, and lipids in the cuticle of the leaf and stem. In agreement with the ethnopharmacological informations obtained, the abuta little is known and used by the users of medicinal plants, it is marketed “in nature”, used mainly as anti- inflammatory, in the form of tea or infusion of their leaves and/or stem. The main users of the species are women. The merchants' knowledge regarding the medicinal plants is inherited of relatives or acquired through courses and specialized books. This work collaborates with the pharmacology, pharmacognosy, phytoterapy and taxonomy area.