Comparative study of the anatomical and morphological features of common ivy leaves from various habitats

Introduction. In the Russian Federation, some drugs of common ivy leaves containing triterpene saponins with a wide spectrum of action are registered and approved for use in medicine. At the moment, the plant is not included in the current regulatory documentation, while it is pharmacopoeial in many European countries. Issues concerning the approval process for use common ivy leaves in medicine in the Russian Federation as a pharmacopoeial medicinal plant raw material will be actual soon; it makes relevant the standardization research of medicinal plant raw material of ivy and, in particular, determining the characteristics of the identity of its leaves. Objective: to compare the characteristics of the identity of common ivy leaves from different habitats according to anatomical and morphological features. Material and methods. The object of the study is well-developed dried leaves of common ivy (Hedera helix L., Araliaceae family), harvested in August 2019 in various geographical areas: Russia (Crimea (Sevastopol and its environs, the vicinity of Yalta (altitude 800 meters above sea level), gorge near the village of Chernorechye), the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus (Anapa), the Voronezh region (Lipovka), Greece (Crete), Spain (Ibiza). The description of the external signs of ivy leaves was carried out visually and using a magnifying glass (×10 magnification), the dimensions were determined using a ruler. Microscopic examination of raw materials was carried out using a Biomed 6.0 microscope with a magnification of ×40, ×100, ×400. The studied objects were clarified by boiling for 3–5 min in a 5% sodium hydroxide solution. Determination of biometric characteristics was carried out for leaves from reproductive shoots using an eyepiece micrometer. Results. The analysis made it possible to establish some similarities of the studied objects in the anatomical structure, as well as to identify several distinctive features. Conclusion. Features characterizing the identity of common ivy leaves and their variability under the influence of climatic factors have been studied. Differences in leaves were established depending on the place of their harvesting, as well as the type of shoot of the mother plant. It is shown that anatomical features are represented by a similar set of diagnostic elements. All identified features are visualized and their metric characteristics are determined. For the first time, the dependence of the biometric parameters of common ivy leaves on the habitats of the species was revealed.