Erythroxylum in the Brazilian Cerrado: a systematic review

The genus Erythroxylum P. Browne (Erythroxylaceae), comprising approximately 270 species globally, is notably diverse in Brazil, where 137 species have been documented, 91 of which are endemic. Within the Cerrado biome, 39 species of Erythroxylum have been identified, yet only 21 have been studied for their pharmacological and/or chemical properties. Using the PRISMA methodology, this systematic review examined 34 articles to evaluate the current knowledge concerning the ethnobotanical, phytochemical, and pharmacological characteristics of these species. The findings indicated that the most frequently reported pharmacological activities include cytotoxic and antiproliferative effects, primarily attributed to secondary metabolites such as terpenoids, flavonoids, and alkaloids. A total of 18 Erythroxylum species remain entirely unstudied, creating a significant gap in our knowledge of their possible medicinal uses. This issue is further compounded by the absence of ethnobotanical and ethnomedicinal records for these species, which limits insights into their traditional uses and applications. The Cerrado biome is under threat from deforestation and agricultural expansion, which highlights the importance of investigating understudied species before further biodiversity loss occurs. To address these challenges, future research should prioritize comprehensive screening for novel bioactive compounds and the integration of ethnomedicinal knowledge with pharmacology, through pre-clinical and clinical assays, as well as the development of sustainable cultivation and collection practices to support conservation and bioprospecting.