Abstract

MORPHO-ANATOMICAL FEATURES AND ANTIOXIDANT POTENTIAL OF BROUSSONETIA PAPYRIFERA (L.) VENT.

Vasilica Luchian*, Mariana Toma and Aurora Dobrin

Abstract

Broussonetia papyrifera (syn. Papyrius papyrifera L. /Kuntze., Morus papyrifera L.), also known as paper mulberry is a medicinal plant, small tree or shrub which grows naturally in Asian and Pacific countries and in the southern part of USA. It has been successfully cultivated in some European countries, such as Italy, Slovenia, Ukraine, Hungary, Slovakia, Spain, etc. The analysed species has been cultivated for over 40 years at the Botanical Garden of the University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest. Various studies on the leaf morphology and stem, leaf and petiole anatomy have been carried out. The morphological analyses have showed that the leaves varied in length between 7-12 cm and in width between 5-7.5 cm. The petiole length was between 2-5 cm. The leaves of B. papyrifera presents adaxial and abaxial epidermis, cuticle and bifacial mesophyll. Biochemical analyses (total phenolic content, flavonoids and scavenging activity) on fresh leaves and fruits showed that leaves had the higher total polyphenols and flavonoids content than fruits, instead fruits exhibited a higher 2,2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl hydrate (DPPH) radical, hydroxyl radical scavenging activity than leaves.

Keywords: paper mulberry, leaf & stem anatomy, antioxidants, Covid-19.