Aspectos gerais e propriedades farmacológicas do gênero Erythroxylum.

Abstract

TheErythroxylaceaefamilycomprisesfour generawith distribution intropicalregions, most speciesbelongto the genus Erythroxylum P. Browne, who is widely distributedon four continentsfoundmainlyin tropical America.The other threegenera, AneulophusBenth., Nectaropetalum Engl. and Pinacopodium Exell&Mendonça, have fewspecies andhaveexclusive distributionin Africa, being theCaatingaone of the centersof diversity ofspecies belongingto the genus Erythroxylum P. Browne. Theobjective of thisstudy was to conducta literature review onthe pharmacological propertiesof the genreand itsgeneral aspects. The chemistryof the genus ismainlycharacterized by the presence oftropanealkaloids, diterpenes, flavonoids, among whichstands out thecocaine, a naturalalkaloidproduced by Erytroxylumcoca, which was usedas a local anestheticforminor surgery. A varietyof specieshavebeenfound, among them: E. Caatingae E.Plowman, AndcitrifoliumA. St-Hil, E. Schulz, E.revolutum Mart, pauferrenseE.Plowman, E.passerinum Mart, E. Thepulchrum. St.-Hil., E.pungens OESchulz, E.subrotundumA. St.-Hil. andE.squamatum Sw. TheErytroxylumcaatingaebetween speciesis the most studiedand mostnumber ofarticlesrelated tothefields of botany, chemistry, biochemistry andpharmacy. Theplantsof this genus arewidelyusedin traditional medicineto treat bacterialand /or viralinfectionsof the skin, amenorrhea, hemorrhage, renal andrespiratory disorders, colds, sinusitis, stomach pain, to combat fatigueandthe feeling of hunger.