Plants and intestinal parasitosis: a review on ethnopharmacological use by the Kantaruré-Batida indigenous community of Brazil

Indigenous knowledge is one of the most notable traditional sources about plants used to treat diseases. Thus, the aim of this study was to describe the botanical features and to investigate the pharmacological properties of plants used by the Kantaruré-Batida community to treat intestinal parasitosis. Botanical characterization was performed based on integrative review and on access to ‘Flora do Brasil’ platform, whereas plants’ pharmacological properties were investigated through systematic review. Among the 21 ethnospecies used, 48% were described as having activity against intestinal parasites. Although 52% had no such activity described, other properties can account for their use, that indicates that further studies are required. Therefore, this review reinforces the importance of valuing indigenous knowledge as tool to guide antiparasitic agent trials.

Essential oils of Cordia species, compounds and applications: a systematic review

The purpose of this systematic review was to identify the available literature on the essential oil from species of genus Cordia. This study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews. The search was conducted on four databases: LILACS, PubMed, Science Direct, and Scopus until June 5th, 2020, with no time or language restrictions. Sixty out of the 1,333 initially gathered studies fit the inclusion criteria after the selection process. Nine species of Cordiawere reported in the selected studies, out of which 79% of the evaluated studies reported essential oil from Cordia curassavica. The essential oil extraction methods identified were hydrodistillation and steam distillation. As for biological application, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, larvicidal and antioxidant activities were the most reported. The main compounds reported for essential oil were β-caryophyllene, α-humulene, α-pinene, bicyclogermacrene, and sabinene. The information reported in this systematic review can contribute scientifically to the recognition of the importance of the genus Cordia.