Herbal therapy with application of Brazilian peppertree and Cat’s claw

Abstract

Since ancient times, natural components considerably from plant origin, have routinely been a notable source of therapeutic agents. There are many endemic medicinal plants and herbs in South America, which is known as the region of biodiversity. Due to the lack of economic resources, and insufficient medical attention, application of medicinal herbs and plants in Latin America is a common practice. The systematic review of documents and manuscripts from clinical trials, and scientific societies has been carried out. The surveys of interest were indexed in “PubMed”, “Web of Science”, and “SciFinder”. Relevant literature has been obtained using the keywords “Antioxidant Activity”, “Antimicrobial Activity”, “Aroeira Fruit”, “Medicinal Plant”, “Mitraphylline”, “Brazilian Peppertree”, and “Cat’s claw”. The selection criterion was to include research papers on the most important topics, using in vitro or in vivo studies. Duplicate studies and those that do not fall with the scope of the search were excluded. The goal of this review article is a survey about the importance of Brazilian peppertree and cat’s claw. Brazilian peppertree (Schinus terebinthifolia) is an evergreen tree or shrub with wide-spreading horizontal branches. The most important phytochemicals of Schinus terebinthifolia fruit oil are β- pinene, α-pinene, δ-3-carene, α-phellandrene, limonene, p-cymene, β-phellandrene, and mono-alcohols, triterpene alcohols, terpinolene, ketones, and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons. Some of the most pharmacological properties of Schinus terebinthifolia are antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiinflammatory, anticancer, wound healing, and andtiulcerogenic activity. Cat’s claw (Uncaria tomentosa) is an important medicinal plant endemic to the tropical forests of South and Central of America, which has been used in wound treatment in traditional medicine with high antibacterial activities. In traditional medicinal sciences in South America, its root and bark have been used for treatment of cancer, inflammation, and infections. It allegedly aids fight a range of ailments, including Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis, cancer, and infections. Although, many studies have evaluated the biological properties of these two medicinal plants in South America, little has been done to identify and characterize its chemical constituents, which is certainly a niche that needs to be further explored.