EUGENIA DYSENTERICA MART. EX DC. (CAGAITA): BRAZILIAN PLANT WITH THERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL

Abstract

Brazil has one of the biggest floristic diversity in the world with several biomes of diverse characteristics. These biomes are a rich source of plant species used by local inhabitants for food and/or medicinal purposes. In 2006, the National Policy of Medicinal Plants and Herbal Medicines (PNPMF) was published, establishing operational guidelines to stimulate the research and development in the Medicinal Plants and Herbal Medicines in order to encourage the sustainable use of national biodiversity and promote the industrial and technological development in this area. On the other hand, the National Program of Medicinal Plants and Herbal Medicines established the actions of the different partners to ensure access, technologic development and use of medicinal plants and herbal medicines with a safely, efficacy and quality. Eugenia dysenterica Mart. ex DC. is a Brazilian species found in the Cerrado biome traditionally used as food and for medicinal purposes. In order to contribute to the PNPMF, a monograph showing the research progress bout this species is presented, and it shows that this species is potentially useful for the development of a genuine national herbal medicine.