Morphological and Phytochemical Characterization of Piper mosenii

Abstract

The aim of this study was to describe, for the first time, the microscopic characteristics of Piper mosenii C. DC. (Piperaceae) leaves and the phytochemical composition of the aerial parts of the species grown wild in Brazil. Macroscopic analysis of the leaves was made with naked eye and supplemented with stereomicroscopy. The leaves showed similar venation than observed for other Piper species, but with a greater amount of colenchyma cells. The absence of endoderm was observed in the cross section of the leaf, which is a characteristic not reported for other Piper species. The phytochemical investigation resulted in the isolation of four benzoic acid derivatives (1-4), two chromanones (5, 6) and a dihydrochalcone (7). Compound 6, 2,2-dimethyl-6-carboxychroman-4-one acid is being described for the first time in Piperaceae, and the compound (4) 3-(1'-oxo-3'-methyl-2'-butenyl)-4-methoxy-benzoic acid is being reported for the first time in the literature.