Resumen

VITE-POSADAS, J. Alejandro et al. Morphoanatomical characterization and antimicrobial activity of Tillandsia imperialis (bromeliaceae). Polibotánica [online]. 2011, n.31, pp.20-29. ISSN 1405-2768.

Tillandsia imperialis C.J. Morren ex Roezl is a bromeliad used in Mexican folk medicine mixed with other plant and animal parts as a good remedy for respiratory diseases, which are one of the main causes of morbility and mortality in the rural population of Mexico. The commercialization of medicinal plants for therapeutic use must comply with high standards for quality, safety and efficacy; structural, microbiological and pharmaceutical studies make a decisive contribution to this quality control. The aim of this study was to analyze the morpho-anatomical characteristics and histochemistry of bracts and leaves of Tillandsia imperialis and evaluate their antimicrobial activity to corroborate the effectiveness of this plant for traditional uses with experimental data. Crude extracts from the inflorescences and leaves were evaluated on Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 29213), Streptococcus pyogenes (ATCC 08668), Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922), Streptococcus faecalis (ATCC 29212), Salmonella Typhi (ATCC 06539), Klebsiella pneumoniae (ATCC 13883) and Candida albicans (ATCC 10231). Results showed that T. imperialis possesses important morpho-anatomical characteristics useful for identification, including mesic and peltate trichomes, tetracyclic stomata and non-sclerotic hypodermis with spherical silica bodies. Microbiological research revealed specific antimicrobial activity against respiratory pathogenic microorganisms such as Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes as well as six other bacteria. These results indicate the existence of antimicrobial compounds in the extracts and a correlation between the traditional uses of this plant and the experimental data.

Palabras llave : antimicrobial activity; medicinal plants; structural and histochemical characteristics; Tillandsia imperialis.