Cultivo e uso racional de plantas medicinais e fitoterápicos / Cultivation and rational use of medicinal and herbal plants / Cultivo y uso racional de plantas medicinales y herbáceas

A utilização de plantas medicinais como alternativa terapêutica vem atingindo um público cada vez maior. Assim, os fitoterápicos podem atuar como forma opcional de terapêutica levando em consideração o menor custo, e cujos benefícios se somam aos da terapia convencional. Com isso, o objetivo deste trabalho foi enfatizar a importância do cultivo e do uso racional de medicamentos fitoterápicos e plantas medicinais. Para tanto, foram incluídos artigos em português e inglês inseridos no banco de dados: Scielo, Google acadêmico, além de revistas eletrônicas, livros com embasamento científico de referência e base de dados do Ministério da Saúde entre os anos de 2018 a 2022. As plantas medicinais e os medicamentos fitoterápicos podem provocar efeitos adversos, interferir no efeito de medicamentos utilizados concomitantemente, além da possibilidade de causar intoxicações pela presença de contaminantes em produtos de baixa qualidade. Para a produção de bioativos, em níveis quali e quantitativamente adequados, o cultivo das plantas medicinais deve ser cuidadosamente realizado, através de técnicas adequadas para preservação do solo e plantio são essenciais, como a utilização de adubos verdes e a cobertura vegetal, que além de protegerem o solo da radiação solar, prevenir a evaporação excessiva da água e melhorar as características físicas, químicas e biológicas do sol. Esses critérios influenciam a qualidade do fitoterápico, portanto a fim de garantir a eficácia terapêutica, as plantas devem ser corretamente cultivadas, coletadas, identificadas e conservadas. Sendo assim, conclui-se que a utilização de plantas medicinais para tratamentos tem sido cada vez mais indicada pelos profissionais da saúde, ressaltando a importância do uso seguro e racional, com alerta para as suas consequências.

The use of medicinal plants as a therapeutic alternative has been reaching a growing public. Thus, herbal medicines can act as an optional form of therapy taking into account the lowest cost, and whose benefits are added to those of conventional therapy. Thus, the objective of this work was to emphasize the importance of the cultivation and rational use of herbal medicines and medicinal plants. To this end, articles in Portuguese and English inserted in the database: Scielo, Google academic, in addition to electronic journals, books with scientific reference base and database of the Ministry of Health between the years 2018 to 2022 were included. herbal medicines can cause adverse effects, interfere with the effect of medicines used concomitantly, in addition to the possibility of causing poisoning due to the presence of contaminants in low-quality products. For the production of bioactives, at qualitatively and quantitatively appropriate levels, the cultivation of medicinal plants must be carefully carried out, through techniques cultivated for soil preservation and planting are essential, such as the use of green manures and vegetation cover, which in addition to protect the soil from solar radiation, prevent excessive water evaporation and improve the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of the sun. These criteria influence the quality of the herbal medicine, therefore, in order to guarantee therapeutic efficacy, as the plants must be correctly cultivated, collected, identified and conserved. Therefore, it is concluded that the use of medicinal plants for treatments has been increasingly indicated by health professionals, emphasizing the importance of safe and rational use, with an alert to its consequences.

El uso de plantas medicinales como alternativa terapéutica ha ido alcanzando un público cada vez más amplio. Así, las plantas medicinales pueden actuar como una forma opcional de terapia teniendo en cuenta el menor coste, y cuyos beneficios se suman a los de la terapia convencional. Así, el objetivo de este trabajo fue destacar la importancia del cultivo y uso racional de las hierbas medicinales y plantas medicinales. Para ello, los artículos en portugués e Inglés insertados en la base de datos: Scielo, Google académico, además de revistas electrónicas, libros con base de referencia científica y base de datos del Ministerio de Salud entre los años 2018 a 2022 fueron incluidos. medicamentos a base de hierbas pueden causar efectos adversos, interferir con el efecto de los medicamentos utilizados concomitantemente, además de la posibilidad de causar intoxicación debido a la presencia de contaminantes en productos de baja calidad. Para la producción de bioactivos, en niveles cualitativa y cuantitativamente adecuados, el cultivo de plantas medicinales debe ser realizado cuidadosamente, siendo esenciales técnicas de preservación del suelo y de plantación, como el uso de abonos verdes y cobertura vegetal, que además de proteger el suelo de la radiación solar, evitan la evaporación excesiva del agua y mejoran las características físicas, químicas y biológicas del sol. Estos criterios influyen en la calidad de la fitoterapia, por lo que, para garantizar la eficacia terapéutica, las plantas deben cultivarse, recolectarse, identificarse y conservarse correctamente. Por lo tanto, se concluye que el uso de plantas medicinales para tratamientos ha sido cada vez más indicado por los profesionales de la salud, enfatizando la importancia del uso seguro y racional, con alerta a sus consecuencias.

Ninety-Day Oral Toxicity Assessment of an Alternative Biopolymer for Controlled Release Drug Delivery Systems Obtained from Cassava Starch Acetate.

The large consumption of biodegradable films from cassava starch acetate (FCSA) as ingredients in food and pharmaceutical products requires the assessment of the possible toxicity of these products. The aim of this study was to investigate the toxicity of biodegradable film from cassava starch acetate after oral exposure of Wistar rats for 90 days. The amount of food consumed and the body weight were weekly monitored. Blood and urine samples were obtained for the assessment of serum parameters and renal function. Histopathological analyses in target organs were also performed. No evidence of clinical toxicity in hematological, biochemical, or renal parameters in the FCSA-treated animals was found. In addition, relative organ weight and histopathological evaluations did not differ between groups treated with FCSA and control. Data obtained suggest that the subchronic exposure to FCSA does not cause obvious signs of toxicity in Wistar rats, indicating possible safety of this biofilm.

Amides from Piper as a Diuretic: Behind the Ethnopharmacological Uses of Piper glabratum Kunth.

Several species of the genus Piper are known in Brazilian folk medicine as having diuretic activity. So, we propose to investigate the acute diuretic activity and the possible toxic effects of Piper glabratum Kunth, popularly known as false Jaborandi. Additionally, we propose to check whether there is any correlation between the biological activities of the crude extract (MEPG) and its 2-methoxy-4,5-methylenedioxy-trans-cinnamoyl-pyrrolidine (MMCP) in Wistar rats. The MEPG was fractioned by chromatography column and the MMCP was identified by analyses of (1)H and (13)C RMN spectral data and correlations. Both MEPG and MMCP were assayed for diuretic activity. The preparations obtained were orally administered in a single dose to rats. The urine excretion, pH, density, conductivity, and content of Na(+), K(+), Cl(-), and HCO3 (-) were measured in the urine of saline-loaded animals. Additionally, acute toxicity of the extract was also evaluated. MMCP at doses of 30 mg/kg was able to increase the urine volume, pH, and HCO3 (-) excretion. Moreover, high dosage of MEPG showed important liver toxicity and elevated mortality when injected intraperitoneally. The results indicate that the MMCP shows important diuretic properties when administered in Wistar rats. Additionally, MEPG can induce important acute toxicity if given in high doses.