Table 1 Medicinal plants described in the book "Le Pays des Amazones" [The Lands of the Amazons] (1885) by Frederico José de Santa-Anna Nery (1848–1901)
Botanical family and speciesa | Brazilian vernacular name | Page book | Part | Origin | Traditional use | Pharmacological evidence for species or genus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Annonaceae | ||||||
Xylopia sp. | embira | 100, 105 | Fiber, seed | Native | Purgative | |
Asteraceae | ||||||
Acmella oleracea (L.) R.K. Jansen (= Spilanthes oleracea L.) | agrião-do-pará | 104 | Not mentioned | Naturalized | Anti-scorbutic, analgesic (for toothaches), antipyretic (for intermittent fever) | Anti-scorbutic† [41]; oral analgesic† [42]; anti-inflammatory† [43]; gastroprotective [44]; diuretic [45] |
Bignoniaceae | ||||||
Jacaranda copaia (Aubl.) D.Don (= Bignonia copaia Aubl.) | not mentioned | 104 | Fruit, stem bark | Native | Emetic, purgative; fruit is antisyphilitic | |
Tabebuia insignis (Miq.) Sandwith (= Tecoma insignis Miq.) | ipê-tabaco | 106 | Stem bark | Native | Purgative; dust causes sneezing | Antihyperuricemic, anti-inflammatory [48, 49]; antinociceptive [50] |
Tecoma sp. | ipê branco | 106 | Stem bark | Naturalized | Purgative | Antidiarrheal [51] |
Caricaceae | ||||||
Carica papaya L. | mamoeiro | 102 | Unripe fruit | Naturalized | Vermifuge | Anthelmintic† [52, 53]; hypoglycemic [54]; immunomodulatory [55]; antithrombocytopenic [56] |
Chrysobalanaceae | ||||||
Couepia sp. (= Pleraginea sp.) | pajurá | 106 | Seed | Native | astringent | |
Dipterocarpaceae | ||||||
Vateria sp. [= Vateria guyanensis*] | pau-de-espinhas | 104 | Seed | Exotic | Acne treatment with vinegar | Wound healing [59]; antiepileptic [60]; antioxidant, antidiabetic, cytotoxic [61] |
Erythroxylaceae | ||||||
Erythroxylum coca Lam. | ipadu, coca | 91 | Leaf | Native | Indigenous people chewed to deceive hunger; stimulant and tonic | |
Fabaceae | ||||||
Bowdichia virgilioides Kunth | sucupiraçu, sucupira pérola | 106 | Wood, stem bark | Native | Astringent | Wound healing† [64]; gastric protective agent† [65]; antihyperglycemic [66]; antinociceptive [67, 68]; anti-inflammatory [68] |
Cassia grandis L.f. (= Cassia brasiliana Lam.) | jeneúna | 104 | Not mentioned | Native | Medicinal (undefined) | |
Copaifera guianensis Desf. | copaíba oil, copahu | 105 | Oil | Native | Medicinal (undefined) | Anti-inflammatory [71]; antimicrobial [72]; anticariogenic, antiparasitic [73] |
Copaifera langsdorffii var. langsdorffii Desf. (= Copaifera nitida Mart. ex Hayne) | copaíba oil | 183 | Oil | Native | Medicinal (undefined) | Anti-inflammatory, analgesic, wound healing [71, 74,75,76,77] |
Dipteryx odorata (Aubl.) Forsyth f. | cumaru, favas-tonca | 98,105,180 | Seed, oil, coumarin (isolated compound) | Native | Medicinal oil (undefined) | Anti-inflammatory, antiplatelet aggregation [78] |
Tamarindus indica L. | tamarindo | 105 | Fruit pulp | Cultivated | Laxative | Laxative† [80, 81]; wound healing [82]; antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant [83] |
Krameriaceae | ||||||
Krameria argentea Mart. ex Spreng. | ratânia | 104 | Not mentioned | Native | Astringent | Astringent†; intestinal diseases† [84,85,86]; cytotoxic [87]; antinociceptive, anti-arthritic [88] |
Lauraceae | ||||||
Aniba puchury-minor (Mart.) Mez (= Nectandra puchury-major (Mart.) Nees & Mart. = Nectandra puchury-minor (Mart.) Nees & Mart.)** | puxuri | 180 | Not mentioned | Native | Medicinal (undefined) | Antifungal, anti-inflammatory [89] |
Ocotea sassafras (Meisn.) Mez (= Mespilodaphne sassafras Meisn.) | canela-sassafrás, sassafrás essence | 105, 108 | Root | Nativec | Aromatic root used in therapy (undefined) and essences | |
Lecythidaceae | ||||||
Lecythis ollaria L. | sapucaia, camari-macaco | 85,103 | Almonds | Exotic | Food and medicinal (undefined) | Wound healing [92]; Selenium poisoning (e.g., alopecia) [93, 94] |
Loganiaceae | ||||||
Spigelia anthelmia L. | not mentioned | 104 | Not mentioned | Native | Poisonous when fresh and vermifuge when dry | Anthelmintic† [95, 96]; cardiac contraction [97, 98]; neuromuscular blockade [99] |
Malvaceae | ||||||
Theobroma cacao L. | cacaueiro | 103 | Cacao butter | Native | Medicinal (undefined) | Antioxidant [100, 101]; anti-inflammatory [102]; neuroprotective [103]; cardioprotective, hepatoprotective and nephroprotective combined with doxorubicin [104]; antialopecia [105] |
Meliaceae | ||||||
Carapa procera DC. (= Carapa guyanensis Oliv.) | andiroba, carapa oil | 104, 105 | Stem Bark | Cultivated | Bitter Tonic, febrifuge | |
Cedrela odorata L. (= Cedrela guianensis A.Juss.) | cedro-branco, acaju-amargo, acaju-fêmea | 84, 105 | Stem bark | Native | Bitter tonic, febrifuge | Antimalarial† [109, 110]; antileishmanial† [111]; insecticidal [112]; antidiabetic [113]; anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic [114] |
Moraceae | ||||||
Ficus gomelleira Kunth & C.D.Bouché (= Ficus doliaria (Miq.) Mart.) | gameleira | 106 | Sap | Native | Vermifuge | |
Myristicaceae | ||||||
Virola bicuhyba (Schott) Warb. (= Myristica bicuhyba Schott.) | bicuíba | 103 | Oil | Native | Medicinal (undefined) | Gastroprotective [117]; antimicrobial [118]; wound healing [119]; antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory [120] |
Virola sp. (= Myristica sp.)** | sucuuba | 106 | Resin | Native | Vermifuge | Antiprotozoal† [121,122,123], gastroprotective, cytotoxic, antiprotozoal, antimicrobial [124] |
Myrtaceae | ||||||
Eugenia cerasiflora Miq. (= Eugenia lucida Lam) | murta | 106 | Stem bark | Natived | Astringent | Astringent† [125]; healing of gastric ulcers† [126]; wound healing† [127] |
Psidium guajava L. (= Psidium pomiferum var. sapidissimum (Jacq.) DC.) | goiabeira | 104 | Root, leaf | Naturalized | Astringent, antidysenteric | Antidiarrheal† [128]; antimicrobial, antiprotozoal [129]; cytotoxic [130] |
Rubiaceae | ||||||
Carapichea ipecacuanha (Brot.) L. Andersson (= Cephaelis ipecacuanha (Brot.) Willd.) | ipecacuanha, poaia | 104 | Not mentioned | Native | Emetic, expectorant, diaphoretic (sudorific) | Expectorant† [131], emetic† [132, 133], immunomodulatory [134] |
Genipa americana L. (= Genipa brasiliensis (Sprend.) Baill) | jenipapo | 106 | Fruit | Native | Medicinal (undefined) | Antiplatelet, anti-inflammatory [135]; neuroprotective [136]; antioxidant, anti-glycant [137]; antithrombotic [138]; anticonvulsant [139]; trypanocidal [140] |
Sapindaceae | ||||||
Paullinia cupana Kunth. (= Paullinia sorbilis Mart.) | guaraná | 92 | Seed | Native | Stimulant, enhancement of intellectual functions, antidysenteric | Central Nervous System (CNS) stimulant† [141,142,143], anti-adipogenic [144]; anti-obesity [145, 146]; anti-inflammatory [147] |
Sapotaceae | ||||||
Pradosia lactescens (Vell.) Radlk) (= Chrysophyllum glycyphloeum Casar) | buranhém | 105 | Stem bark | Native | Medicinal (undefined) | Anti-wrinkling, anti-melanogenic [148] |
Smilacaceae | ||||||
Smilax glauca Walter (= Smilax sarsaparilla L.)** | salsaparrilha | 104 | Root | Exotic | Diuretic, sudorific | Diuretic† [149, 150]; antihyperlipidemic [151]; hypoglycemic [152]; anti-inflammatory, analgesic [153] |
Smilax schomburgkiana Kunth or S. longifolia Rich. (= S. syphilitica Griseb. or S. syphilitica Mart., respectively)b | salsaparrilha-do-brasil | 182 | Root | Native | Diuretic, sudorific | Diuretic† [149, 150]; antihyperlipidemic [151]; hypoglycemic [152]; anti-inflammatory, analgesic [153] |
Solanaceae | ||||||
Brunfelsia uniflora (Pohl) D.Don (= Brunfelsia hopeana (Hook.) Benth) | jeratacaca | 110e | Not mentioned | Native | Against snake bite | Anti-venom† [154], anti-inflammatory [155]; larvicidal [156]; antimicrobial [157] |
Zingiberaceae | ||||||
Zingiber officinale Roscoe (= Amomum zinziba Hill) | gengibre | 98 | Rhizome | Cultivated | Spice, therapeutic (undefined), edible (ginger beer) | Nephroprotective [158]; anti-inflammatory [159]; cytotoxic [160]; antioxidant, antihyperalgesia [161]; antiasthmatic [162] |