Análisis farmacobotánico del órgano subterráneo del “coro” (Nicotiana paa, Solanaceae), un fumatorio sagrado moqoit

Abstract

“Coro” (Nicotiana paa Mar t. Crov.) is a plant that has been documented over time by different historical, ethnographic and ethnobotanical sources. Its underground organ is and has been used for smoking and medicine by the Moqoit and Qom of the Argentine Chaco, as well as by other indigenous peoples of the same region. The aim of this work was to perform a morpho-anatomical characterization of the subterranean organ of this plant, using different histological and histochemical techniques for this purpose. The results obtained allow us to affirm that this organ is a secondary stem, subterranean, whose main function is reservation. On the other hand, the characterization of the starch in this species is very useful to identify the presence of the “Coro” rhizome, not only in objects of the Moqoit material culture, but also in archaeological remains of different human groups in which this vegetable has been used. This study is important because no analysis of this type has been found to date.