Original Articles
Wermerson AssunÃÂÃ
Abstract
Laurus nobilis L. (Lauraceae) leaves are used on popular medicine as well as food flavoring and in the perfumery. This paper aimed to realize a pharmacognostic characterization L. nobilis leaves from different brands to evaluate authenticity, integrity and purity parameters. Morphoanatomic studies of the vegetable has been done, in the same way as tests for starch and tannin histochemical reactions, impurities determination not inherent in the drug, foam index and intumescence, nitrogen determination, proteins, calcium and phytochemical profile evaluation of its hydroalcoholic extracts. External morphology variations were observed. The base, apex, margin and petiole were predominantly of cuneate, acuminate, entire and curved type, respectively. All the leaves were intact, penninervate, smooth and glabrous, with length of 6.2 to 9.8 cm and width of 2.8 to 3.7 cm. The epidermis showed isodiametrical cells, annular collenchyma, dorsiventral mesophyll composed by one or two layers of palisade parenchyma and three to four rows of spongy parenchyma. It was characteristic in all samples the presence of multiple secretory cells, tannins, starch, nitrogen, calcium and protein. The analyzed samples were in the accepted limits of impurities not inherent to drug. The determined intumescence index showed similar results. But in the determination of the foam index, the results of the analyzed samples were different. Phytochemical screening showed the presence of phenols, coumarins, steroids, triterpenes, flavonoids and saponins. The dried leaves standardization of L. nobilis, which are reported for the first time, can be used to establish the quality assurance of this plant in future investigations and applications.