Localisation of bioactive compounds in the leaves of Hedera helix L. (Araliaceae) – a medical and cosmetic plant

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Hedera helix (common ivy) is an attractive climbing and groundcover plant. Its leaves containing various bioactive compounds are used in medicine and cosmetology. The aim of this study was to present the functional leaf anatomy and histochemical analyses localising various secondary metabolites in ivy leaf bladeand petioles. Light and fluorescence microscopy and 8 histochemical tests and 3 fluorescence assays wereused. The leaf tissues contained phenolic compounds, phenolic acids, flavonoids, pectinous/mucilagous substances, acid lipids, essential oil, terpenoids, and steroid-containing terpenes. They are mainly responsiblefor the biological and pharmacological activity of H. helix leaves. Most of these secondary metabolites werepresent in the epidermis, mesophyll, phloem, and epithelial cells. In turn, they were not found in the xylemand sclerenchyma tissues.