Polygonaceae

“Anatomical and histochemical characters of Polygonum hydropiperoides Michaux, Polygonaceae”. P. hydropiperoides is popularly known as “erva-de-bicho”, and it is used in traditional medicine as anti-hemorroidal, anti-inflammatory and antidiarrhoeic. The present work has as objective the anatomical and histochemical characterization of leaf, stem and root that are used as drug in order to offer elements for quality control. The botanical material was prepared for the usual optical and histochemical microtechniques. The leaf is amphistomatic, dorsiventral and paracytic and anisocytic stomata. It is common to find the presence of secretory structures as: capitate glandular trichomes and secretory glands on both epidermis, that are also present in stem. The secretion material is heterogeneous composition of lipids and flavonoids. Druses of calcium oxalate and starch are common in parenchyma cells of leaf and stem. Phenolic compounds are present in leaf (palisade parenchyma), in stem (cortical parenchyma and phloem) and root (cortical parenchyma).