Phytochemical profile, traditional uses, and biological activities of Duguetia furfuracea: A review

Duguetia furfuracea (A.St.–Hil.) Saff. has ancient descriptions in traditional medicine in the middle-western region of Brazil for multiple therapeutic uses and it is currently considered an invasive plant. The aim of this manuscript is to provide a review of published studies on botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry, biological effects and toxicology of D. furfuracea. Information was collected from databases Scielo, PubMed, Chemical Abstracts and Web of Science. There are several traditional uses of D. furfuracea, in treatment of rheumatism, menorrhagia, dysmenorrhea, pediculosis, renal colic, and stomachache. Based on a phytochemical investigation, over hundred compounds have been identified from the leaves, twigs, underground stem bark and wood of D. furfuracea, such as alkaloids, terpenes, flavonoids, phenolic acids and phenylpropanoids. This species present a broad spectrum of effects such as trypanocidal, leishmanicidal, larvicidal, antitumoral, anti-inflammatory, antimutagenic and cytoprotective. Data about the toxicity are limited, mainly for in vivo experiments. Phytochemical and pharmacological studies have demonstrated the therapeutic potential of D. furfuracea. However, the study of pharmacological mechanisms of its herbal medicinal product and isolated constituents should be further explored, since capsules containing material of this species have already been developed for renal colic.