Abstract
Aloysia gratissima is a plant native to America, with applications in folk medicine for a wide range of diseases, such as bronchial infections, lung disorders, nervous system disorders (depression, anxiety), and inflammatory processes, among others. However, investigations about this species and its biological actions are still scarce. This literature review was carried out using articles published in the past 30 years on the PubMed, SciELO, and Web of Science platforms, with the focus on the method of extraction, chemical composition, and clinical and preclinical studies on the pharmacological properties of A. gratissima. We noticed that the main constituents of A. gratissima are guaiol, pinocamphone, ß-pinene, and 1,8-cineole. Additionally, preclinical studies reveal that A. gratissima extracts present antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive, antibacterial, antifungal, and virucidal effects. The results also demonstrate that there is a greater interest on the part of researchers from 2012 onwards in studying A. gratissima extracts with potential for possible new drugs.
Highlights
Among the plants found in Brazil, we highlight the genus Aloysia (Verbenaceae), originally from South America, containing 34 cataloged species, 12 of which can be found in Brazil [6, 7]
Considering the importance of the popular use of native plants in southern Brazil and their different biological activities, this study aims to systematically examine scientific studies on the biological effects and chemical composition of A. gratissima
Regarding the anti-inflammatory activity of A. gratissima, Vandresen et al [28] demonstrated that the aqueous extract of its leaves caused a reduction of 23.6% in ear edema induced by carrageenan in mice when compared to animals treated with vehicle. is study corroborates the results found by Souza et al [13], who demonstrated that an extract of A. gratissima leaves obtained by SCCO2 is enriched in guaiol and elicited a reduction in paw edema during the first 3 hours after the carrageenan intraplantar administration in mice. e authors suggest that the antiinflammatory activity of the A. gratissima supercritical extract is not related to a decrease in the synthesis of prostaglandins but to an inhibition of the release of histamine, serotonin, and kinins
Summary
Among the plants found in Brazil, we highlight the genus Aloysia (Verbenaceae), originally from South America, containing 34 cataloged species, 12 of which can be found in Brazil [6, 7]. A. gratissima, popularly known in Brazil as “lavanda-dobrasil,” “erva-de-nossa-senhora,” “erva sagrada,” and “garupa” is widely distributed in America, occurring from the United States to Argentina. It was recently found in the central areas of the continent, northern Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Mexico [9, 11]. E infusion of the aerial parts of this plant is widely used in Argentina as a tonic, for digestive disorders, as diaphoretic and aphrodisiac. The infusion prepared with flowers and leaves is used in Bolivia as carminative and sedative, and as antispasmodic in Paraguay and Uruguay [15]
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