The Clinical Use of Amazonian Plants for the Treatment of Advanced Cancer Related Symptoms: A Review of Clinical Trials

Advanced cancer patients often experience distressing systemic symptoms such as fatigue, anorexia, and cachexia, for which effective pharmacologic treatments are lacking. Systemic inflammation plays a significant role in the development of advanced cancer-related symptoms. This review focuses on the clinical use of Amazonian plants for treating these symptoms. Review of Literature conducted at Faculdade de Medicina da Fundação ABC. I searched the PubMed and LILACS databases. Specific search strategies were employed, and inclusion criteria were set to search for clinical trials that used Amazonian plant extracts to treat advanced cancer-related symptoms. Ialso assessed the selected studies for quality according to Cochrane Risk of Bias recommendations, sample size, study design, and outcomes. Out of 340 studies initially screened, thirteen eligible studies were included. The majority evaluated the effects of Paullinia cupana (guarana) extract on fatigue, while others examined Uncaria tomentosa with or without Paullinia cupana and Zingiber zerumbet individually in patients with terminal cancer. Paullinia cupana showed efficacy in treating post-chemotherapy fatigue in some studies, but not in patients undergoing radiation therapy. Zingiber zerumbet and Uncaria tomentosa demonstrated promising results in improving quality of life and reducing fatigue in palliative care patients. However, one needs caution in the judgement of these data due to the lack of controlled studies. Amazonian plants, such as Paullinia cupana, Zingiber zerumbet, and Uncaria tomentosa, with their reported anti-inflammatory effects, offer potential for symptom relief for cancer patients. However, the limited number of well-designed clinical trials and small sample sizes hinder conclusive evidence.