Harrisonia abyssinica Oliv. - Journal of Chemical and ...

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Mubo A. Sonibare et al J. Chem. Pharm. Res., 2012, 4(1):800-807 _____________________________________________________________________________________ naturally in secondary forests in the high forest zone and in deciduous, transition, and savannah forests. It colonizes even heavily eroded sites, though form and growth rate suffer considerably on difficult sites. It is a tree that grows between 7–25 m (23–82 ft) tall and is native to tropical dry forests of Africa. This tree is planted extensively as an ornamental tree throughout the tropics and is much appreciated for its very showy reddish-orange or crimson (rarely yellow), campanulate flowers. It has become an invasive species in many tropical areas. The bark, flowers and leaves are used in traditional medicine in Western Africa. Medicinal applications of S. campanulata include: the bark as laxative and antiseptics and the seeds, flowers and roots are used as medicine. The bark is chewed and sprayed over swollen cheeks. The bark may also be boiled in water used for bathing newly born babies to heal body rashes. It is used in southwestern Nigeria for malaria treatment by drinking the decoction of its stem bark [4]. Leaves of S. campanulata have been reported to possess antiplasmodial activity, astringent properties and relief for painful inflammatory conditions [5-7]. The leaf extract was also reported to possess both analgesic and anti- inflammatory properties and could be beneficial in alleviating painful inflammatory conditions [8]. Morphologically and anatomically, the leaf is the most variable plant organ and the difference such as trichome is occasionally specific for species, genera or even families [9]. Information on foliar micromorphology has been reported of capable of shedding more light on plants structural features and their possible functional attributes [10]. Several studies have reported the significance of foliar micromorphological features used to evaluate taxonomical delimitations of many plants [11-16]. This in effect has helped in correct identification and authentication of many plants hence finding usefulness in standardization of herbal products obtainable from various medicinal plants indigenous to most communities. Micromorphological characters of the leaf that have been used in some studies include: epidermal cell type, stomata, trichome and vascular bundle pattern and arrangement [17-21]. However, no such information is available on the anatomy of H. abyssinica and S. campanulata. The study was therefore undertaken to obtain information on micromorphological features of these two important medicinal plants which would help in their identification and authentication. EXPERIMENTAL SECTION Leaf epidermal anatomy of Harrisonia abyssinica and Spathodea campanulata were studied. Both specimens were collected in July 2011. H abyssinica was collected from Ifesowopo market, a few kilometers to Iseyin, and S. campanulata from Ilaju village along Eruwa road in Ido local government area both in Oyo state, Nigeria. The specimens were identified and authenticated by the second author at the Forest Herbarium, Ibadan (FHI), Nigeria where vouchers were also deposited as Harrisonia abyssinica-FHI 109474 and Spathodea campanulata-FHI 109471 respectively. For epidermal studies Shultze’s method of maceration with improved technique was followed [22]. Leaves were taken in pteri dishes, covered with 4 mL of concentrated nitric acid and kept under sun for 30 mins. Adaxial and abaxial epidermal peels obtained with the use of camel hair brush were rinsed in distilled water, bleached with one to two drops of Chloral hydrate for 30 sec. to remove chlorophyll, stained in 1 % aqueous Safranin O solution for 3 mins. and mounted in dilute glycerol. Leaf transverse sections (8-10 µm) were made by the histological technique, using a rotary microtome Leitz Wetzlar and inclusion in Eukitt [23]. The cross-sections were stained using Astra blue and counter stained with Saffranin O reagents. The sections were studied using an optical microscope Leitz Diaplan Germany 543669 and photographed with a Leica DFC 420 C camera. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Macroscopy Sensory characters observed in the two medicinal plants are recorded in Table 1. In H. abyssinica leaf was fresh and green in colour at the time of analysis; leaf is compound and shortly petiolate; lamina 3-5 cm long, 1-2 cm broad; oblanceolate to elliptic in shape; margin entire; apex is round or slightly acuminate, leaf base is attenuate and venation is reticulate, leaf surface is glabrous above but pubescent beneath, texture is papery with a prominent midrib. In S. campanulata leaf was fresh and green in colour at the time of analysis; leaf is compound with a long petiole; lamina 10-15cm long, 6-8cm broad; elliptic to oblong in shape; margin entire; apex is acuminate, leaf base is slightly cuneate and venation is reticulate, leaf surface is glabrous, texture is papery with a prominent midrib. Microscopy Leaf epidermal studies of the taxa Harrisonia abyssinica and Spathodea campnulata were carried out to find the anatomical characters of taxonomic value. Epidermal and stomatal characters of the plants are presented in Table 2 while anatomical features are recorded in Table 3. 801
Mubo A. Sonibare et al J. Chem. Pharm. Res., 2012, 4(1):800-807 _____________________________________________________________________________________ Taxa H. abyssinica Table 1. Morphological features of Harrisonia abyssinica and Spathodea campanulata Taxa Sensory characters H. abyssinica S. campanulata Composition Compound Compound Lamina Size 3-5 cm long; 1-2 cm wide 10-15 cm long; 6-8 cm wide Shape Oblanceolate-elliptic Elliptic to oblong Margin Entire Entire Apex Round to slightly acuminate Acuminate Base Attenuate Slightly cuneate Venation Reticulate Reticulate Surface Glabrous (pubescent beneath) Glabrous Mid-rib Prominent Prominent Texture Papery Papery Petiole Occurrence Petiolate Petiolate Character Short Long Table 2. Qualitative epidermal and stomata characters of Harrisonia abyssinica and Spathodea campanulata Leaf surface Adaxial Abaxial S. campanulata Adaxial Abaxial Cell shape CuboidrectangularCuboidrectangular Cuboid - rectangular Cuboidrectangular Cuticular ornamentation 802 Anticlinal wall pattern Stomata type Presence of trichome Striation Thick undulating absent Present Striated Thin Straight-wavy Paracytic Present Striated Thick Wavy-undulating Anisocytic Present Thick Wavy-undulating Anisocytic (numerous) Present Table 3. Anatomical features of transverse sections of leaves of Harrisonia abyssinica and Spathodea campanulata Taxa Characters H. abyssinica S. campanulata Leaf type Dorsivental Isobilateral No. of epidermis Lignification of cuticle One One Mesophyll differentiation Differentiated Undifferentiated No. of palisade layer 2 - Spongy parenchyma Isodiametric, 3-4 celled disjointed Trichome type Crystals Short and long unicellular and multicellular, stellate, 3-4 celled glandular Glandular and non-glandular Oil globules many many Type of Xylem vessel Lignified spiral vessels Vascular bundle pattern Central, 4-6 celled xylem (formed Convex arc) Collateral, 3-4 celled xylem In H. abyssinica, epidermal cells have undulating anticlinal walls on the adaxial surface and straight to wavy on the abaxial. Cells are striated (Fig. 1 A-D). Both surfaces have many oil globules; short unicellular trichomes with multicellular base as well as stellate trichomes. Some of the cells on the abaxial surface are lignified. In S. campanulata, epidermal strips on both surfaces possess wavy to undulating anticlinal walls and many oil globules. Different types of trichomes were seen on both surfaces; numerous unicellular non-glandular, multicellular nonglandular as well as multicellular glandular on the adaxial surface; short multicellular non-glandular trichomes on the abaxial (Fig. 2 E-H). Transverse sections of leaf blades of H. abyssinica and S. campanulata are shown in Fig. 3 (I-J). In H. abyssinica lamina is dorsiventral with single-layered epidermis on both surfaces and thick cuticle (Fig. 3 I). Epidermal cells are cuboid-rectangular in shape and are compactly arranged. The lower epidermis is also single layered with thin cuticle and many stomata hence the leaf is hypostomatic. Mesophyll is differentiated into palisade and spongy parenchyma with 2 layers of palisade parenchyma adjoined to the upper epidermis. Spongy tissues are isodiametric, 3-4 cells thick and loosely connected. The T.S. of S. campanulata leaf is isobilateral having single-layered epidermis on both sides and thick cuticle. Epidermal cells are cuboid-rectangular in shape. Mesophyll is undifferentiated. Spongy cells are disjointed (Fig. 3 J). Mid-rib of H. abyssinica shows a narrow protuberance at the ventral side and 2 layers of epidermis (Fig. 3 K-L). The protuberance on the dorsal side is wide; 3-4 celled multicellular trichomes are present on the protuberances. Vascular bundles are centrally placed with 4-6 celled xylem forming a convex arc for the phloem. Mid-rib region in S. campanulata formed a prominent convex protrusion at the dorsal surface, Not striated Not striated
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