Medicinal Plants Classification Biosynthesis and ... - Index of

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S.M.M. Vasconcelos, J.E.R. Honório Júnior, R.N.D. Cavalcante de Abreu et al.
Table 1. (Continued)
Popular Name Species Activity
Mororó Bauhinia unguiculata Anti-hyperglycemic, anti-lipidemic
Romã Punica granatum Antiviral for genital herpes
Torém Cecropia pachistachia Anti-hypertensive
Capim Santo Cymbopogon citrates Calming, sedative
Auxemma glazioviana Anti-cholinesterase activity
2. Calotropis Procera
Calotropis procera (Ait.) R. Br. (Figure 1), of the family Asclepiadaceae, comes from
Africa, India and Persia. It is popular known as ―ciúme‖, ―ciumeira‖ or ―algodão de seda‖,
―flor-de-seda‖, ―leiteiro‖ and ―queimadeira‖. The scientific name of the family is derived
from Asclepius, Greek medicine god, while the name of the species has its origin from the
Greek ―kalos‖ = beautiful, ―tropis‖ = ship and procera from Latin ―procerus‖ = high
(Kissmann, Groth, 1999).
It is a perennial, shrub or subarborea plant, which can reach 3m height. Its branches,
leaves, apples and fruits are covered by serosa, with high proportion of white latex, which
flows abundantly when the tissues are broken (Joly, 1979; Rahman, Wilcock, 1991).
C. procera is a typical plant of Asia. It was brought to Brazil as an ornamental plant
(Morcelle, Caffini, Priolo, 2004), which was rapidly spread through Brazilian Northeast due
to the facility of dissemination of its seeds by the wind. The climatic condition of Brazilian
Northeast is highly favorable to the growth of this plant. It is sometimes classified as invasive
plant, because it can grow in places with adverse conditions, invading non-occupied niches. It
was fast included in the group of plants that could be used in folk medicine.
The plant is famous by its great production of latex (Ramos et al., 2007). Latex is a
vegetal liquid of milky texture that has many biologically active compounds, such as
proteins, amino acids, carbohydrates, lipids, vitamins, alkaloids, carbonates, resins, tannins
and terpenes (Morcelle, Caffini, Priolo, 2004). It may be obtained by a trivial process based
on centrifugation and dialysis. The main constituent is the rubber, which is highly insoluble
in water (Ramos et al., 2006).
When the plant suffers a mechanic injury, its tissues are broken and secrete latex. In
contact with the air, latex coagulates and yields rubber. The characterization of the
compounds of latex reinforces the idea that latex plays a role in defense mechanisms against
virus, fungi and insects. This natural secretion has adhesive action and may immobilize
insects (Moursy, 1997).
Glycosilated flavonoids extracted from the leaves, such as isorhamnetin-3-O-rutinoside
and isorhamnetin-3-O-robinobioside, were identified by nuclear magnetic resonance
techniques. The presence of organic carbonates was also assessed (Gallegos-Olea et al.,
2006). Other chemical substances were identified, such as alkaloids, anthocyanins,
proteolytic enzymes, cardenolids, cardioactive glycosides and triterpenes (Kumar, Basu,