RESUMO
Cereus jamacaru, popularly known as mandacaru, is a Cacactacea native to the Caatinga of Brazil, but it is distributed in arid and semiarid regions worldwide. This plant is used for various purposes, such as food, animal fodder, civil construction, and as an ornamental and medicinal plant. Traditional medicine uses the cladodes, roots, and seeds of C. jamacaru to treat various diseases. This review discusses the ethnobotanical uses, phytochemical composition, and biological properties of C. jamacaru. The data demonstrate that C. jamacaru produces a wide range of secondary metabolites involved in the defense mechanism against biotic agents and abiotic stresses. Carbohydrate polymers, phenolic compounds, terpenes, and bioactive nitrogen compounds, have been identified and linked to this plant's biological properties. The present review will support future scientific research in identifying new bioproducts and demonstrating the potential of C. jamacaru as a food and medicinal plant.
