دراسة مجهريّة وكيميائيّة لنبات الإصطرك الطبّي Styrax officinalis L. المنتشر في طرطوس

Background & Objective : Styrax( Styrax officinalis l.) belongs to the Styraxacae. This  wild plant is widely spread in the Mediterranean countries, including Italy, Greece, Turkey, Syria, Palestine, and southeastern France. It is found in Syria, particularly in the coastal mountains, and is considered one of the important medicinal plants used in folk medicine. This study aimed to identify the microscopic diagnostic elements of plant parts and to determine the identity of the most significant bioactive chemical compound found in those structuers.

Materials and Methods: The plant was collected from Tartous Governorate - Al-Kafroun, and its various parts (flowers, fruits, leaves) were separated, dried, and ground. Reactions were conducted to detect secondary metabolites such as phenols, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, cardiac glycosides, alkaloids, and coumarins using appropriate reagents, and the elements were determined. Microscopic analysis of each section of the plant using an optical and electron  microscope.

Results: The study revealed the presence of numerous microscopic structures.the most significant ones were stellate pili and parallel-type pores, which were distinctive to species under investigation. The chemical detection reactions the presence of phenolic compounds, saponins, and tannins, along with cardiac glycosides. No flavonoids no alkaloids were detected

Conclusions: The current sutdy demonstrated the presence of different bioactive compounds in various parts of the plant. The plant is distinguished by containing cardiac glycosides and saponins, which can be exploited in medical remedies. The distinctive anatomical structure of the plant are very important features that may serve as taxonomic keys to classify the genus styrax.

           Key words: Styrax officinalis, Styracaceae, secondary metabolites, electron  microscope