Pharmacognostic observations on Tussilago farfara L. flowers and leaves

It has been considered useful to undertake a study on the micromorphological characterization of the flowers and leaves of Tussilago farfara L. generally present in tisans mixtures. The presence, on both basal and caulinar leaves, of pluricellular covering trichomes and glandular hairs found on the bracts of the influorescence receptable, the different nature of the cuticular thickenings in the various areas of the organs studied, represent some of the principal data useful for the identification of commercial samples of these drugs, mostly made up of dried leaves and/or flowers and of fragments in which it is generally not possible to distinguish the macroscopic characters proper of the species. 'In vitro' cytotoxicity has also been assayed and has proved to be particularly significative for the alcoholic extract of the flowers.