ESTUDO MORFO-ANATÔMICO E ABORDAGEM FITOQUÍMICA DE FRUTOS E SEMENTES DE Luffa operculata (L.) COGN., CUCURBITACEAE

Luffa operculata (L.) Cogn., Cucurbitaceae, e uma herbacea escandente, denominada popularmente de buchinha. O fruto e empregado na medicina tradicional como purgativo, emenagogo e descongestionante nasal. O presente trabalho objetivou fornecer informacoes complementares a morfo-anatomia e realizar abordagem fitoquimica dos frutos e sementes dessa especie. O material botânico foi reidratado, seccionado e corado, de acordo com tecnicas usuais de microscopia fotonica. Para a analise fitoquimica, foram preparados extratos aquoso e hidroalcoolico, por meio de maceracao dos frutos e das sementes pulverizados. O fruto e ovoide, capsular e fibroso, com estrias e aculeos. O epicarpo apresenta tricomas tectores pluricelulares e estomatos anomociticos, e feixes vasculares percorrem o mesocarpo e o endocarpo. A semente e elipsoide e achatada, sendo a epiderme do tegumento formada por celulas de paredes anticlinais onduladas, o endosperma reduzido e os cotiledones plano-convexos. Os extratos dos frutos indicaram a presenca de flavonoides, taninos, saponinas, esteroides e/ou triterpenoides. MORPHO-ANATOMICAL STUDY AND PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING OF FRUITS AND SEEDS OF Luffa operculata (L.) COGN., CUCURBITACEAE Abstract Luffa operculata (L.) Cogn., Cucurbitaceae, is a climbing herb, popularly known as loofa sponge. The fruit is employed in the traditionalmedicine as laxative, emmenagogue and nasal decongestant. This study aimed to supply additional knowledge to the morpho-anatomy and phytochemical screening of the fruits and seeds. The botanical material was rehydrated, sectioned and stained, according to the usual optical microtechniques. For the phytochemical analysis, aqueous and hydroalcoholic extracts were prepared, by means of maceration of the powdered fruits and seeds. The fruit is an oval and fibrous capsule, showing striated surface and aculeous. The exocarp has pluricellular non-glandular trichomes and anomocytic stomata, and vascular bundles are seen in the mesocarp and endocarp. The seed is elliptical and flat, presenting the epidermal cells of the integument with wavy anticlinal walls, reduced endosperm and plain-convex cotyledons. The fruit extracts indicate the presence of flavonoids, tanins, saponins, esteroids and/or triterpenoids.