Pharmacognostic evaluation of the Pereskia aculeata Mill. (Cactaceae)

Abstract

Pereskia aculeata Mill belongs to the Cactaceae family and is popularly known as ora-pro-nobis. This plant occurs in arid or slightly arid regions, such as Caatinga, Cerrado, and Atlantic Forest. It is widely used in food due to its high nutritional content of proteins, vitamins, essential amino acids, and rich in phenolic compounds, presenting antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, and healing activity. This work aims to evaluate the morphology, anatomy, and presence of phenolic compounds in samples of plants
cultivated and known to be of the species P. aculeata, to contribute to the identification of the plant. The leaves are elliptical to lanceolate shape, flat, wedged base, fleshy and glabrous, with dark green coloring. The leaf blade presents uni-stratified epidermis, palisade and spongy parenchyma, paracitic stomata, amphistomatic, calcium oxalate crystals, and mucilage cells. Its stem has a cylindrical characteristic, well developed and woody, with uni-stratified epidermis, central xylem and phloem. In tannin tests, precipitation was observed in the reactions; in anthraquinone tests, turbidity was observed. The morphoanatomical study of the leaf and stem contributes to the identification process. However, more tests are necessary, in addition to an exsiccata, for the correct determination that the plant used is actually P. aculeata.