Anatomical characterization of the vegetative organs of three Solanum sp. L. Juss. (Solanaceae) species popularly known as medicinal

Neotropical forests have many plant species of great value, be it nutritional, ornamental and, mainly, medicinal. The substances present in these species are the most varied and many families are very relevant in this regard. The family Solanaceae comprises many species whose secondary metabolites, including alkaloids, make them an interesting pharmacological target. However, the large number of species in the family and their often, which are often morphologically similar, makes their therapeutic use unsafe. Thus, this study aimed to contribute to the anatomical characterization of the family to assist in the correct identification of species so as to support their safe therapeutic use. The analyzed species (S. paniculatum, S. sisymbriifolium and S. americanum) were collected in Atlantic forest environments and anatomical analyses were performed according to usual protocols in plant anatomy. The results confirmed important diagnostic characteristics for the distinction of the species and provided data that contribute to their safer and more effective use, since their anatomical characterization can be used as a reference to assist in the identification of species.