Planta Med 2016; 82(S 01): S1-S381
DOI: 10.1055/s-0036-1596915
Abstracts
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Identification of Justicia secunda Vahl by IR spectroscopy

BA Theiler
1   Department of Pharmacognosy, University of Vienna, Althanstraße 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
,
R Nikzad
1   Department of Pharmacognosy, University of Vienna, Althanstraße 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
,
H Halbritter
2   Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Rennweg 14, 1030 Vienna, Austria
,
LO Espinoza Caisa
3   Corporación Verde Azul, Santa Prisca OE 3 – 17, 5to Piso, Ofic 27, 170150 Quito, Ecuador
,
PG Delprete
4   Herbier de Guyane, IRD – UMR AMAP, Boite Postale 165, 97323 Cayenne Cedex, French Guiana
,
S Glasl
1   Department of Pharmacognosy, University of Vienna, Althanstraße 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
14 December 2016 (online)

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Justicia secunda Vahl belongs to the family of Acanthaceae and is a barely examined species. In Latin America and Africa, the leaves of J. secunda are applied in ethnomedicine against indications related to anaemia [1], hypertension [2], and diabetes [3]. J. secunda grows wildly as well as in cultivation without any difficulties. Our extensive macroscopic and anatomical investigations [4] revealed that other closely related species are easily mistaken for J. secunda.

The aim of this study was to establish Infrared (IR) spectroscopy as fast and reliable alternative for the proper identification of J. secunda. Cut and dried leaves of correctly identified J. secunda populations from Ecuador and French Guiana were applied to generate a database with 40 samples. In addition, correctly and incorrectly identified samples from the following materials were compared to the database: a greenhouse-cultivated population with origin in Venezuela and 20 voucher specimens from a wide region around the world. All IR spectroscopy measurements were conducted with dried leaf material that remained completely untreated prior to analysis.

The data evaluation via principal component analysis lead to the result that IR spectroscopy is able to correctly identify J. secunda leaves as well as to distinguish the plant from other even closely related species. As a conclusion, we can present IR spectroscopy as fast and reliable alternative for plant identification.

Acknowledgements: The authors thank Sepp Dabringer for the initialization of the project and Dieter Wasshausen for the kind assistance with the identification of plant material.

Keywords: Justicia secunda, Acanthaceae, IR-spectroscopy, herbal drug material, quality control, plant identification.

References:

[1] Kone WM, Koffi AG, Bomisso EL, Bi FHT. Ethnomedical study and iron content of some medicinal herbs used in traditional medicine in Cote d'Ivoire for the treatment of anaemia. Afr J Tradit Complement Altern Med 2011; 9: 81 – 87

[2] Manda P, Abrogoua DP, Bahi C, Dano DS, Gnahoui G, Kablan BJ. Evaluation of the antihypertensive activity of total aqueous extract of Justicia secunda VAHL (Acanthaceae). Afr J Pharm Pharmacol 2011; 5: 1838 – 1845

[3] Personal communication with Lugardo O. Espinoza Caisa and “Corporación Verde Azul” in Ecuador.

[4] Theiler BA, Eberlberger J, Istvanits S, Putzer I, Espinoza Caisa LO, Glasl S. Justicia secunda VAHL – Botanical characterization and investigation of its traditional use against diabetes. In: Kubik I, Biba F, editors. 47. Wissenschaftliche Fortbildungswoche für ApothekerInnen, Schladming 23.-28. Februar 2014. Österreichische Apothekerkammer, 2014: 775