Seed germination, phenology, and antiedematogenic activity of Peperomia pellucida (L.) H. B. K.
BACKGROUND
Peperomia pellucida is popularly known as coraçãozinho in the Brazilian northeast and is used in the treatment of abscesses, furuncles, and conjunctivitis. Our work aimed to determine the term of the development stages and the species cycle in the four seasons of the year (complete development, beginning of bloom, complete bloom, and seed set), verifying the plant's therapeutic profile during the four distinct development phases in order to detect differences in its potency. Pharmacological tests were performed to observe the anti-inflammatory activity.


RESULTS
Phenological observations were accessed for a 12 month-period, from the Brazilian summer of 1999/2000 to fall 2000. On average the plantules' emergence occurred 15 days after seeding. All plantules grew in a similar manner up to 25 days after transplantation in all seasons. Starting on the 25th day, we observed faster growth during spring, with plants reaching a height of about 60 cm after 100 days of transplantation, unlike other seasons, in which plants reached heights of 40, 40, and 35 cm during winter, summer, and fall, respectively. The P. pellucida aqueous extract showed significant anti-inflammatory activity during phenophases 1 and 2 of winter and spring. Depending on the plant's phenophase there was variation in the potency of edema inhibition.


CONCLUSIONS
P. pellucida has a phenological cycle of approximately 100 days. It is recommended that the P. pellucida aqueous extract is used as an antiedematogenic only during phenophases 1 and 2 of winter and spring.
Arrigoni-Blank
Maria de Fátima
Mde F
Departamento de Engenharia Agronômica, CCBS, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Av, Marechal Rondon S/N, Jardim Rosa Elze, São Cristovão, SE, 49100-000, Brazil. mfatima@zipmail.com.br
Oliveira
Ricardo Luiz Barros
RL
Mendes
Sandra Santos
SS
Silva
Paulo de Albuquerque
Pde A
Antoniolli
Angelo Roberto
AR
Vilar
Jeane Carvalho
JC
Cavalcanti
Sócrates Cabral de Holanda
SC
Blank
Arie Fitzgerald
AF
D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004487:Edema / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D018525:Germination / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D036941:Peperomia / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012621:Seasons; D012639:Seeds / Q000502:physiology
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts