Authentication of Brazilian Ginseng using Bar-HRM analysis

Abstract Hebanthe eriantha (Martius) Kuntze and Pfaffia glomerata (Spreng) Pedersen are medicinal plants popularly known as "Brazilian Ginseng" due to their similarity to Panax ginseng. In Brazil, they are sold as the same herb, despite their different pharmacological and toxicological properties. The morphological identification is difficult, which facilitates their adulteration. We report the application of the Barcode DNA High-Resolution Melting (Bar-HRM) using matK gene to differentiate both species in samples sold in the Brazilian market. Using the proposed method, we could discriminate and identify both species. Bar-HRM analysis allowed discriminating and identifying both species. It allowed the identification of H. eriantha and P. glomerata in 43.6% and 56.4% of the amplified samples, respectively. Of these, only seven samples were authenticated and, in 71.4% of the cases, adulterated. We concluded that Bar-HRM has proven to be a fast alternative method to authenticate plants under the common name "Brazilian Ginseng".

Produção de mudas de penicilina (Alternanthera brasiliana (L. ) Kuntze) via estaquia / Seedling production of penicillin (Alternanthera brasiliana (L. ) Kuntze) by cuttings

A penicilina (Alternanthera brasiliana (L.) Kuntze), pertence à família Amaranthaceae e tem sido reconhecida por suas propriedades anti-inflamatória, analgésica, e antiviral. O trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a concentração de ácido indolbutírico (AIB) mais adequada para a indução do enraizamento de estacas da penicilina. Foram selecionados ramos herbáceos de plantas matrizes, coletadas em novembro de 2010, para confecção de estacas com 6 cm de comprimento e 2 folhas apicais. As estacas foram desinfestadas através de solução de hipoclorito de sódio (0,5%) por 15 minutos. Em seguida, as estacas da penicilina tiveram suas bases imersas por 10 segundos em soluções de AIB nas concentrações de 0, 250, 500, 750 ou 1000 mg L-1, e foram plantadas em tubetes, sob irrigação em casa de vegetação. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualizado, com 80 estacas por tratamento. Após 30 dias não foram observados resultados com diferenças significativas entre os tratamentos utilizados quanto ao enraizamento, crescimento das raízes, mortalidade, massa fresca e seca. No entanto, houve aumento do número de raízes das estacas tratadas nas concentrações mais altas de AIB (750 e 1000 mg L-1) quando comparadas ao controle e aos demais tratamentos. As porcentagens de enraizamento foram acima de 94% para essa espécie, podendo concluir que a propagação via estaquia é viável sem o uso de reguladores para induzir a formação de raízes dessa espécie, a qual pode ser considerada de fácil enraizamento.

Penicillin (Alternanthera brasiliana (L.) Kuntze) belongs to the Amaranthaceae and has been recognized for its anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antiviral properties. This study aimed to evaluate the most appropriate concentration of indole butyric acid (IBA) to induce rooting of penicillin cuttings. We selected herbaceous branches, collected in November of 2010, to prepare 6 cm long cuttings with two apical leaves and disinfected them in solution of sodium hypochlorite (0.5%) for 15 minutes. Then, the penicillin cuttings had their bases immersed for 10 seconds in IBA at the concentrations of 0, 250, 500, 750 or 1000 mg L-1, planted in small plastic tubes, irrigated and maintained in a greenhouse. The experimental design was completely randomized, with 80 cuttings per treatment. After 30 days, we observed no significant different results among treatments on rooting, root growth, mortality, fresh and dry mass. There was an increase in the number of roots in the cuttings immersed in higher concentrations (750 and 1000 mg L-1) of IBA compared to the control and other treatments. The rooting percentages were above 94% for this species, and we could conclude that the propagation by cuttings is feasible without the use of regulators to induce root formation in this species, which can be considered as easy to root.

Leaf surfaces of Gomphrena spp. (Amaranthaceae) from Cerrado biome

The leaf structure and micromorphology characterize plant species and reflex its interactions with the environment. Leaf epidermis sculptures aid high transpiration plants on light reflection. The form and distribution of epicuticular wax crystalloids are important to characterize the surface. Aiming to know the micromorphology and the ultrastructure of G. arborescens, G. pohlii and G. virgata, leaves of these Cerrado native species were collected in Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil, at the Olympic Center of the Universidade de Brasília and at Reserva Ecológica do Roncador. Leaves of G. globosa, an Indian native species, were also studied for comparison. Leaves were fractionated, fixed and treated for observation under optical and scanning electron microscope. A description of the leaf epidermis is provided, alo ng with some quantitative data to help the species taxonomy and support future studies on their physiology: all species are amphistomatic and have Stomatal Index between 7.27 and 18.99. The Gomphrena spp. studied have epicuticular wax platelets and wax sculptures over their larger trichome, which are relevant for their taxonomy. Over the Cerrado species cuticle, epicuticular wax is damaged by fungi hyphae development. The presence of epicuticular wax on Gomphrena spp. leaves corroborates the phylogenetical alliance between Amaranthaceae and Chenopodiaceae.