Medicinal Plants Classification Biosynthesis and ... - Index of

In: Medicinal Plants Classification, Biosynthesis... ISBN: 978-1-60876-027-5
Editor: Alejandro Varela and Jasiah Ibañez © 2007 Nova Science Publishers, Inc.
Ethnobotany and Experimental
Pharmacology of Echinodorus
Grandiflorus (chapéu de couro)
Chapter 9
Sônia Sin Singer Brugiolo, Luciana Valente Borges * , Daniel Sales
Pimenta, Alessa Sin Singer Brugiolo, Vera Maria Peters
and Martha de Oliveira Guerra
Professors/Researchers from Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora,
MG, Brazil.
Abstract
Echinodorus grandiflorus (Cham. & Schltdl.) Micheli and Echinodorus
macrophyllus (Kunth) Micheli, are monocotyledonous species belonging to Alismataceae
family. These plants are aquatic or semi-aquatic herbs, with submersed, floating or
emersed leaves and with inflorescences that remain flourished during nearly 30 days. In
Brazil, they are popularly known as "chapéu de couro" and have been used in the folk
medicine in the treatment of several disorders. Its leaves are resources for very common
teas, used as diuretic and anti-inflammatory, blood depurative, against arthritis and skin
diseases, liver maladies and renal affections, as well as against amygdalitis, pharyngitis,
stomatitis and gingivitis. Several researches have suggested promising results on
medicinal activities of ―chapéu de couro‖. Some of those activities were observed in
vivo, such as diuretic, anti-inflammatory, hypotensive and antihypertensive,
antimicrobial, decholesterolizing, immunosuppressive and vasodilator. In vitro activities
were also confirmed, such as trypanocidal, leishmanicidal and antineoplastic. In this
work it is presented the ethno and experimental pharmacology, regarding the researches
accomplished so far, besides the botanical characterization, geographic distribution,
macro and microscopic description, chemical constituents and toxicology.
* Corresponding author: Rua Orestes Fabiano Alves, 21/201 São Pedro, CEP: 36037-120 Juiz de Fora, MG Brazil,
email: luvalenteb@yahoo.com.br