University of Isfahan Taxonomy and Biosystematics 3115-9001 18 66 2026 05 22 A comparative analysis of mucilage quantities in different organs of Malva species and varieties and Althaea ludwigii L. via anatomical and biochemical approaches 19 28 29970 10.22108/tbj.2025.146691.1316 EN Maneezheh Pakravan Fard Associate Professor, Department of Plant Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran Hajar Abedinzadeh MSc. Department of Plant Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran Journal Article 2025 09 21 Mucilages are hydrocolloids that form complex polysaccharides (consisting of sugars and uronic acids) and glycoproteins, which are found in many higher plants. This study aimed to correlate anatomical features of mucilage-secreting cells with phytochemical mucilage content in three varieties of Malva sylvestris var. mauritiana, var. eriocarpa, and var. sylvestris, Malva parviflora var. microcarpa, and Althaea ludwigii, collected from distinct ecological regions in Iran. Leaf, petal, fruit, and root tissues were analyzed using light microscopy and Ruthenium Red staining for anatomical characterization, while mucilage content was quantified via hot water extraction (HEM). Results revealed that mucilage-secreting cells were predominantly located in the epidermis of leaves and petals, with the highest density and cell area observed in var. mauritiana. Phytochemical analyses confirmed that leaves contained the highest mucilage content (up to 27.86% DW), followed by petals, roots, and fruits. A significant positive correlation was found between anatomical parameters (cell number and area) and extracted mucilage yield, validating microscopic analysis as a rapid, cost-effective predictive tool. Ecological altitude was identified as a key factor influencing mucilage production, with higher yields observed in populations from higher elevation regions (e.g., Gilavand). No significant diagnostic anatomical characters were found among varieties, except for the presence of prismatic calcium crystals in Malva sylvestris var. sylvestris roots, indicating the limited taxonomic value of anatomical traits at the infraspecific level. These findings support the use of anatomical screening for preliminary selection of high-yield mucilage sources in pharmaceutical applications.

https://tbj.ui.ac.ir/article_29970_6ce7ed80eb60fe25d789b5f025223fca.pdf