Medicinal Plants Used as Antitumor Agents in Brazil
Author Information
Author(s): Joabe Gomes de Melo, Ariane Gaspar Santos, Elba Lúcia Cavalcanti de Amorim, Silene Carneiro do Nascimento, Ulysses Paulino de Albuquerque
Primary Institution: Universidade Federal de Pernambuco
Hypothesis
What is the abundance of plants reported to be antitumor in Brazil, and have the plant species used for tumor treatment in traditional Brazilian medicine been sufficiently examined scientifically?
Conclusion
A total of 84 medicinal plant species were reported to be used for cancer and tumor prevention or treatment in Brazil, with only a fraction having been scientifically studied.
Supporting Evidence
- 69.05% of the reported plants were used for the treatment of tumors and cancer in general.
- 30.95% of the plants were used for specific tumors or cancers.
- At least one pharmacological study was found for 35.71% of the species.
- Majority of studies were conducted in rural communities and urban areas.
Takeaway
In Brazil, many plants are used to help treat cancer, but not all of them have been studied enough to know if they really work.
Methodology
The study surveyed ethnobotanical studies from five databases, focusing on papers published between 1980 and 2008 that cited plants with antitumor properties.
Potential Biases
Some studies did not specify the culture of the population studied, which may lead to incomplete data.
Limitations
The study may not represent all plants used for cancer treatment as many local studies are not indexed in major databases.
Participant Demographics
Majority of studies were conducted in rural communities and urban areas with traditional healers.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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