Use of Malvaviscus arboreus Cav. with medicinal purposes

Introduction: the use of Malvaviscus arboreus Cav. with medicinal purposes requires the determination of some parameters. Objectives: to determine cultivation and pre-crop parameters. Methods: forms of asexual spread such as types of pegs, substratum, and their direct plantation in the land were determined as well as the sprout percentage; cultivation behavior in three different dates, planting different types of pegs in flowerbeds exposed to the sun (9 plants/m); beginning of the cultivation of flowers and fresh yield in 15 consecutive pickings for 7 days; presence of plagues; phytochemical screening in ethereal, alcoholic and aqueous extracts; pharmacognostic parameters; drying types; numerical values (humidity, total ashes, soluble substances in water and 70 % alcohol) and useful life of the drug preserved during a year at room temperature. Results: the best growing roots was seen in the zeolite; direct seeding was preferable in a definitive area (90 x 40 cm) at any in date of the year, the optimum date was May due to the possibility of obtaining better production of flowers; presence of chrysomelid Phyllotreta striolata and fungi was observed as well as Alternaria sp. and Fusarium sp. in branches. A greater diversity of secondary metabolites in the alcoholic extract was identified. Any type of drying was fast and maintained the natural color of the drug. The organoloeptic characteristics are kept for a year in glass and polypropylene bottles; in low density polyethylene packs, color and odor loss appears from the 6 months and Lasioderma serricorne is present in any container. Conclusions: a vigorous growth and a high production of flowers were demonstrated during almost all the year from the 5 months of cultivation establishment; the cultivated drug maintains its quality for 6 months in amber glass containers.