INTRODUCTION
Peperomia
pellucida (L}
Kunth belongs to Piperaceae
comprising 5 genera (Piper, Peperomia, Zippelia, Maekia and Verhuellia) and
over 3600 species. They are mostly herbaceous plants. The previously recognized
pacific genus Macropiper
was recently merged into piper (Wanke et al.,2007).The vast majority of pepper
can be found within two main genera, Piper
(2000 species) and Peperomia (1600
species) (Stevens, 2001)..
Peperomia
pellucida is widely
distributed in many South American and Asian countries (Santos et al., 2001). The plant is occasionally
cultivated and sparingly naturalized in Hawaii. (Wagner et al., 1999).
Plants have played a significant role
in maintaining human health and improving the quality of human life for
thousands of years, and served as valuable components of food and medicines
(Craig, 1999). P. pellucida leaves
and stems may also be eaten as vegetable (Hua et al., 1991). Throughout America, it is known as pepper elder,
silver-bush, rat-ear, man to man; Brazil -lingua de sapo,
herva –de-jabuti; Asia-cang cua; Nigeria-Shining bush.
The stem anatomy revealed a polystelic structure, the epidermis is composed of a single layer of
cells with simple uniseriate trichomes
(Pulak, 2012). Sodium level for Peperoma was 17.11ppm Egwuche et al.
(2011).
The relevance of this study is based
on the fact that, though in most part of Nigeria Piperoma pellucida is found growing in
residential areas as a weed, it has useful properties for soap making and blood
building vegetable. The objective of
this study is based on investigating the morpho-
anatomical and quantitative estimation of some of its phytochemical properties.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Study Area: The plant was harvest as a weed
growing in Choba residential Quarters, Obio-Akpo Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria.
Epidermal Studies: Fresh leaves and stems were peeled following the method
of Cutler (1978). The epidermal peels were, thereafter, passed through series
of 30%, 50%, 70%, 95%, 100% ethanol for 2 minutes in each and then allowed to rehydrate
in water for about 5 minutes. The treated peels were then stained with Safaranin and counter stained with Alcian
blue, the excess stain is washed off in distilled water and then placed on a
glass slide mounted with one or two drops glycerine. Photomicrographs were
taken from good preparation.
Anatomical Studies: Seeds of the plant were plated in
petri dishes containing wetted 110mm Whatman filter
paper. After three to five days, harvest was made for primary anatomical study
and two weeks to one month, for the secondary anatomy. The harvested stems,
leaves, petioles, flowers, fruits and roots were fixed in FAA in the ratio of
1:1:18 of 40% formaldehyde, acetic acid and 70% alcohol for at least 48 hours
following the method of Johansen, (1940). The free hand sectioning using a
systematic arrangement of 5 razor blades as described by Wahua
et al. (2013) was also adopted.
Microphotographs were taken from good preparations.
Quantitative
Phytochemical Estimation
IRON ION: Fresh leaves of Peperomia pellucida were collected, air dried and blended. The
instruments used for this test were adjusted and its vital settings recommended
were put in place, a wavelength of 248nm was selected then the air and gas flow
was adjusted slit width. Hallow cathode lamp was stabilized and allowed
adequate time to energize. The instrument was calibrated with iron ion
concentration to obtain a standard plot.1g of the sample of Peperomia pellucida was aspirated into
the instrument and the concentration of Iron in the sample was obtained
extrapolation from the standard iron ion graph in ppm or mg/L.
POTASSIUM ION: Fresh leaves of Peperomia pellucida were collected air dried and blended.1g of the
pulverised sample was digested and the solution was made up to 50mls with
distilled water. The instrument employed for the test was programmed to the
recommended vital settings, air and gas pressure were adjusted and a wavelength
of 766nm was selected. Standard potassium ion concentration was aspirated into
the instrument “burner chamber” to calibrate the equipment and to plot the
graph of the standard ion. The aspirator tubing’s system was occasionally
flushed with water before the sample was aspirated. The concentration of
potassium ion in the sample was automatically displayed on the screen of
equipment and also printed out for documentation.
SODIUM ION: Fresh leaves of Peperomia pellucida was air dried and blended. The equipment
employed for the test was adjusted to the recommended vital settings, the air
and gas pressure were adjusted to slit width and a wave length of 589nm was
selected. The instrument was calibrated with the standard sodium ion
concentration to obtain a standard sodium ion graph.1g of the sample was
aspirated into the instrument and its concentration obtained by extrapolation
from the standard graph in mg/l or ppm.
RESULT
Morpho-anatomy
Peperomia
pellucida has simple alternate, heart shaped, smooth,
translucent leaves and its surface is glabrous. The adaxial
surface is medium green while the abaxial surface is
whitish green and cordate to base. The foliar study revealed
acute apex which is palmately 3-5 veined and ovate
form, its petiole is 2 ±1cm long. The ovary is ellipsoid and inflorescence is made
of compact erect terminal spikes of minute creamy white flowers. The stem is
succulent, translucent pale green having erect or ascending form. It is
branched and glabrous. Fig. 1.
Fig. 1: Peperomia pellucida (L)
Kunth.
Arrow revealed Inflorescence
EPIDERMAL
STUDIES
The adaxial
and abaxial layers have anomocytic
stomata, glandular layer are present with trichomes, amphistomatic. Thick with epidermal cells arranged in enlongated rows with the anomocytic
stomata abundantly distributed all over the surface. In the adaxial layer.
Figs. 2 and 3.
Fig. 2: Abaxial epidermis of Peperomia pellucida
Co represents contiguous cells, Arrow
showed glandular trichome.
Fig. 3: Adaxial epidermis of Peperomia pellucida
MID-RIB
ANATOMY
The epidermis is made up of large
spherical cells, with the presence of uniseriate trichomes having about two
rows of cell. The cortex is made up of about two large parenchymatous cells and
one spherical shaped vascular bundle with a parenchymatous
sheath was observed. Fig.4.
Fig. 4: Mid Anatomy of Peperomia pellucida (T.S.)
Arrow showed
vascular bundle, Lm represents the lower mesophyll and Um Upper mesophyll.
NODAL
ANATOMY
Nodal anatomy revealed seven vascular
bundles centrally arranged and departures at the region of petiole attachment
to the node. Fig.5.
Fig.
5: Nodal Anatomy of P. pellucida. (T.S.)
Arrow showed leaf gaps, region of
departure of vascular system from the node to petiole of leaf. Vb is vascular bundle in ring structure and vt represents the vascular traces.
PETIOLE
ANATOMY
The epidermis is made of a single
layer of cells. The cortex and pith is generally predominated by parenchyma.
Three traces of vascular bundles are clearly observed. Fig.
6.
Fig.
6: Petiole of Peperoma pellucida (T.S.)
Vb is the vascular arc of mid rib and Lb revealed the leaf blade or lamina.
STEM
ANATOMY
The stem has a polystelic structure
.The epidermis has simple uniseriate trichomes. The hypodermis is composed of 2 to 3 layers of
collenchyma with thick walled cells. The general cortex is preoccupied with
large parenchymatous cells. The vascular bundles are
distinctly prominent with lots of sclerenchymatous
cells. Fig.7.
Fig.
7: Stem of Peperoma pellucida
(T.S.).
Arrow revealed vascular bundle
irregular arrangement and pth
is the pith region dominated by parenchyma, h is the hypodermis, r is the trichome, E represents the single layer of epidermis
ROOT
ANATOMY
The anatomy of the root revealed a
single layer of piliferous cells, large parenhymatous cells occupied the region of root cortex made
of about 3-4 layers. The root endodermis is not clearly visible. The vascular
bundle are arranged in triangular form and closely packed in the pith region.
The presence of lateral roots from the pericycle
were observed. Fig. 8.
Figure
8: Root Anatomy of Peperoma pedulaca
(T.S,)
Arrow revealed xylary
vessels while rh showed root originating from pericyclic region and pg is
polygonal parenchyma in the general cortex.
Table 1. : Quantitative Estimation
for Iron, potassium and sodium ion in Peperomia
pellucida.
|
Sample Identity Leaves)
|
Iron (Fe) mg/kg
|
Potassium (K) mg/kg
|
Sodium (Na) mg/kg
|
|
Peperomia pellucida
|
976.35
|
1535.90
|
4571.85
|
DISCUSSION
Morphological and anatomical features
of Peperomia pellucida (L) Kunth,
shows that in the abaxial and adaxial
surfaces, tetracytic stomata type was observed, in the abaxial
surface, glandular trichomes were present. The stem
anatomy revealed a polystelic structure, the epidermis
is composed of a single layer of cells with simple uniseriate
trichomes as also reported by (Pulak,
2012). The cortex and pith is generally predominated by parenchyma across the
plant body, anomocytic stomata and glandular trichomes on both foliar surfaces were present which
corresponded with the findings of Silva et
al. (2014).
The quantitative test for the
concentration of Iron, potassium and sodium in 1g of Peperomia pellucida revealed iron level of
(976.35mg/kg), potassium level of (1535.90mg/kg) and sodium level of (4571.85mg/kg),
observed higher when compared to work done by Egwuche
et al. (2011).
CONCLUSION
P.
pellucida consists of
great economic and medicinal value. The quantitative analysis
of the potassium, sodium and iron ions revealed the plant as nutritive
vegetable and contain materials useful for saponification.
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