The GenusLuehea(Malvaceae-Tiliaceae): Review about Chemical and Pharmacological Aspects.
Popularly known as "açoita-cavalo" (whips-horse),Lueheaspecies (Malvaceae-Tilioideae) are native to America and are used in folk medicine as anti-inflammatory, antidiarrheal, antiseptic, expectorant, and depurative and against skin infections. Although there are studies showing the chemical constituents of some species, the active substances have not been properly identified. A systematic study was carried out through a computer search of data on CAPES journals, SciELO, ISI Bireme, PubMed, ScienceDirect, ScienceDomain Medline, and Google Scholar from published articles using key words:Luehea, açoita-cavalo, and Malvaceae.Luehea divaricatawas the species with the highest number of studies observed. Triterpenes (9), flavonoids (6), and steroids (4), including saponins, organic acids (4), and one lignan, are the main types of secondary metabolites registered and the most cited flavonoids were rutin and quercetin and among triterpenes there was maslinic acid, which might be associated with the popular indication of its anti-inflammatory action. The vitexin, a C-glycosylated flavone, isolated from three different species, is cited as a possible taxonomic marker of the genus. Studies confirm in part the medicinal uses of plants named as "açoita-cavalo" species. Some pharmacological activities, not assigned to the species of the genusLueheaby populations, were observed in laboratory experiments.
Juazeiro do Norte College (FJN), Juazeiro do Norte, CE, Brazil.
João Tavares
0000-0002-7491-6324
JT
Calixto-Júnior
Biotechnology Postgraduation Programme (RENORBIO), Laboratory of Natural Products, State University of Ceará, Itaperi Campus, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.
Selene Maia
SM
de Morais
UNILEAO University Center, Juazeiro do Norte, CE, Brazil.
Aracélio Viana
AV
Colares
Department of Biological Chemistry, Regional University of Cariri, Crato, CE, Brazil.
Henrique Douglas Melo
0000-0002-6634-4207
HD
Coutinho