Pharmacognostic study of Hymenocallis caribaea (Amaryllidaceae)

Hymenocallis is a genus of herbaceous and bulbous plants, belonging to the Amaryllidaceae family. This family includes species of ornamental plants, which have been used in traditional medicine. Within the family, plants of the Amaryllidoideae subfamily are characterized by synthesizing a large number of structurally diverse alkaloids, to many of which are attributed antitumor, antiviral, antimalarial, acetylcholinesterase and immunostimulant inhibitor activity. Scientific analyses that support the ethnobotanical use of the H. caribaea are scarce, which favored the pharmacognostic and toxicological study for the first time. The main physical and chemical parameters were determined on the leaves and bulbs of the species, as well as their hydroalcoholic and aqueous extracts. The results obtained allowed us to verify that in most of the determinations they are within the limits established in the official monographs for plant drugs. The analysis of both plant organs by near infrared spectroscopy showed values corresponding to the moisture and ash parameters initially obtained. The characterization of the extracts from the physical and chemical point of view was achieved. The qualitative determination of the chemical composition suggested the presence of phenols, flavonoids, saponins and especially alkaloids. The results achieved allowed establishing the quality parameters of the raw drug and its extracts. Citation: Salas, E., Sánchez-Milán, D.C., Cuéllar, A., Mangas, R., Arencibia, J.A. & García-Beltrán, J.A. 2020. Estudio farmacognóstico de Hymenocallis caribaea (Amaryllidaceae). Revista Jard. Bot. Nac. Univ. Habana 41: 109-117. Article history: Received: 29 November 2019. Accepted: 20 August 2020. Online: 4 November 2020. Editor: Luis Manuel Leyva.