PLANTAS DO CERRADO BRASILEIRO COM POTENCIAL ANTIFÚNGICO: UMA ABORDAGEM ETNOFARMACOLÓGICA E MICROBIOLÓGICA

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.6191225020113

• Palavras-chave: Bioprospecção; Saber popular; Metabólitos secundários; Micose.

• Keywords: Bioprospecting; Popular knowledge; Secondary metabolites; Mycosis.

• Abstract: The Cerrado is one of the biomes richest in plant diversity in Brazil, home to numerous species traditionally used by the population to treat infections. Based on popular knowledge, many medicinal plants have demonstrated antifungal activity, arousing the interest of the scientific community. In this context, the articulation between popular knowledge and experimental studies has contributed to the validation of these medicinal plants as promising sources in the search for new antifungal agents. Thus, the objective of this study was to analyze the antifungal potential of Cerrado plants, based on ethnopharmacological and microbiological evidence, aiming to highlight promising species for the development of new antifungal agents of natural origin. For this, an integrative literature review was carried out. Articles published in English and Portuguese in the Google Scholar, Scientific Direct and PubMed databases between January 2013 and December 2024 were selected. The following descriptors were used: “Medicinal plants”, “Ethnopharmacology”, “Plant extracts”, “Essential oils”, “Antifungal activity”, “Antifungal agents” and “Cerrado”. Through a thorough reading of the selected articles, seven plant species traditionally used in the treatment of fungal infections were identified, namely: Hymenaea courbaril L., Stryphnodendron obovatum Benth., Xylopia aromatica (Lam.) Mart., Copaifera langsdorffii Desf., Curatella americana L., Anacardium occidentale L. and Bidens pilosa L. Based on the experimental results, it was possible to demonstrate significant antifungal activity against pathogenic fungi, including the genera Candida, Cryptococcus and Paracoccidioides. The chemical characterization of the different plant species allowed us to identify the presence of classes of metabolites such as flavonoids, phenolic acids and terpenes. The results obtained in this study reinforce the importance of environmental conservation of the Cerrado biome for the preservation of native species with promising antifungal potential. In addition, the importance of Research and Development of new phytotherapeutics or antifungal prototype compounds based on secondary metabolites identified in the different species studied is also evident.