Parâmetros para análise de carqueja: comparação entre quatro espécies de Baccharis spp. (Asteraceae)

Diferentes espécies de Baccharis são conhecidas popularmente como carqueja e empregadas indistintamente na medicina tradicional como estomáquicas e diuréticas. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo contribuir para a determinação de parâmetros para o controle de qualidade e aplicação na indústria de fitoterápicos, através da análise de quatro espécies de carqueja: Baccharis dracunculifolia DC., B. articulata (Lam.) Pers., B. cylindrica (Less.) DC. e B. gaudichaudiana DC. De um modo geral, B. dracunculifolia apresentou os maiores teores de umidade e de perda por dessecação, enquanto que B. articulata mostrou os maiores índices afrosimétrico e de amargor e teores de extratos secos a frio e a quente e de cinzas totais. B. dracunculifolia foi a espécie que apresentou maior rendimento do óleo volátil. Alguns componentes do óleo volátil ocorrem nas quatro espécies, porém cada uma delas apresentou um perfil cromatográfico característico

Macro and microscopical identification of four species of Baccharis from trimera group

Different species of Baccharis belonging to the Trimera group are commonly named as carqueja and employed for their digestive and diuretic properties. Since the members of this group are alike, this work has aimed to study the macro and microscopical characters of Baccharis articulata, B. cylindrica, B. gaudichaudiana and B. trimera, in order to contribute for the drug analysis and to complement taxonomic knowledge for the Trimera group. These species are shrubs and have three-winged stem, except for B. articulata which possesses two wings. B. gaudichaudiana axis reveals ribs, B. articulata has oval contour and B. cylindrica and B. trimera stem is circular. In B. cylindrica and B. trimera, included phloem has been observed in older basal regions. Calcium oxalate crystals are seen in the four species, being styloid in B. articulata and B. cylindrica and prismatic in B. gaudichaudiana and B. trimera. The other microscopical features observed are similar

Morpho-anatomical study of the cladodes of Homalocladium platycladum (F.J. Muell.) L.H. Bailey (Polygonaceae)

Homalocladium platycladum is a Polygonaceae species, popularly known as fita-de-moça or solitária that has been used as ornamental and medicinal plant, according to Oriental and Brazilian traditional medicine. The aim of this work was to evaluate the morpho-anatomy of the H. platycladum cladodes. The botanical material was fixed, sectioned and prepared according to usual light and scanning microtechniques. The cladode presented epidermal cells coated with thick and striate cuticle. The uniseriate epidermis showed paracytic stomata and glandular trichomes inserted in small depressions. These trichomes were capitate and presented short stalk and multicellular head. The cortex showed strands of chlorenchyma alternating with sclerenchyma that was an extension of a sclerenchymatic sheath. An internal boundary of the cortex was represented by a starch sheath. The vascular system consisted of collateral bundles and the pith showed parenchymatic cells and idioblasts containing calcium oxalate druses