Applications of Aroeira

Resumo

Introdução: Myracrodruon urundeuva Allemao consists in an arboreal vegetal from the Anacardiaceae family threatened of deforestation. These plants are endemic in South America, thus it´s a native plant of Brazilian regions of Cerrado and Caatinga. Among the Aroeira´ species, M. urundeuva has particular therapeutic appliance in primary care, also used in Farmácia Viva and prescribed at rural zones.

Objetivos: To Report about Aroeira and its medicinal effects in a literature review.

Metodologia ou descrição da experiência: Three researchers worked in a pursuit at the databases PubMed, Cochrane and BVS, from November 14th to 24th, with the following data extraction strategy: “Aroeira” OR “Myracrodruon urundeuva”, using no restriction of dates. Yet, the articles were revised individually and those who deal with Aroeira's uses in health were selected.

Resultados: At PubMed, there were found 95 articles. At Cochrane, 5 and at BVS, 70. The selected files totalized a sum of 48 articles, which 5 of them referred to the most common uses of Aroeira, 3 showed benefic use of Aroeira, 2 showed negative effects from Aroeira. One of them revealed cicatrization process. Others cited bone malformations in rat’s fetuses. Generally, 38 articles showed good results from Aroeira, including antitumor and anti-inflammatory activity, protection of the gastric mucosa, antimicrobial activity, similar to chlorhexidine, larvicidal effect against nematodes, similar to thiabendazole, and against A. aegypti, plus midbrain cell protection, as a possible treatment for Parkinson.

Conclusões ou hipóteses: There are physiological evidences related to Aroeira, like anti-inflammatory, larvicidal and anti-bacterial effects, showing that these plants can be cultivated by rural population, notable the ones who has difficult access to expensive and non-expensive pharmacologic medication. Even so, more studies such as clinical trials and systematic reviews are needed.