Tomo 34 (1-2): 7-365. 2009 KURTZIANA Medicinal plants: A general review and a phytochemical and ethnopharmacological screening of the native Argentine Flora Gloria E. Barboza 1, 3, 4, Juan J. Cantero 2, César Núñez 2, Adriana Pacciaroni 1, 3 & Luis Ariza Espinar 1 1 Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (IMBIV-CONICET), Casilla de Correo 495, 5000, Córdoba, Argentina. 2 Departamento Biología Agrícola, Facultad de Agronomía y Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto, Ruta Nac. 36 - Km. 601 - Código Postal X5804BYA, Río Cuarto, Córdoba, Argentina. 3 Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Avda. Haya de la Torre y M. Allende s.n., Córdoba, Argentina. 4 Autor para la correspondencia: [email protected]. Summary Barboza, G. E., J. J. Cantero, C. Núñez, A. Pacciaroni & L. Ariza Espinar. 2009. Medicinal Plants: A general review and a phytochemical and ethnopharmacological screening of the native Argentine Flora. Kurtziana 34 (1-2): 7-365. A review and a checklist based on empirical evidence of the therapeutic properties of the native medicinal flora from Argentina are presented. The chemical constituents and biological activity of each species, when known, are also provided. Medicinal flora comprises 1,529 taxa of vascular plants (Pteridophyta: 56; Gymnospermae: 13; Monocotyledoneae: 152; Dicotyledoneae: 1,308), including 115 endemic species. In addition, the distribution of these species is analyzed, and the endemic areas are also stated. Key words: Flora medicinal, Argentina, review, folk medicine, diversity, endemisms. Resumen Barboza, G. E., J. J. Cantero, C. Núñez, A. Pacciaroni & L. Ariza Espinar. 2009. Plantas medicinales: Revisión y "screening" fitoquímico y etnofarmacológico de la flora nativa de Argentina. Kurtziana 34 (1-2): 7-365. Se presenta una revisión y se provee un catálogo de la flora medicinal nativa de Argentina basado en el conocimiento empírico de las propiedades terapéuticas de las especies. Se complementa con la composición química y actividad biológica para cada especie cuando la información está disponible. Se reportan 1529 taxones medicinales de plantas vasculares (Pteridófitas: 56; Gimnospermas: 13; Monocotiledóneas: 152; Dicotiledóneas: 1308), incluidas 115 especies endémicas. Además, se realiza un análisis de la distribución de estas especies y se determinan las áreas de endemismos. Palabras clave: Flora medicinal, Argentina, revisión, medicina popular, diversidad, endemismos. 8 Tomo 34 (1-2): 7-365. 2009 KURTZIANA Introduction and was discovered independently by residents of both the New and Old worlds as a remedy for Plants have provided man with all his needs aches and fevers (Raskin et al., 2002). Medicinal in terms of shelter, clothing, food, flavours and plants have contributed to humanity’s health care, fragrances as not the least, medicines. Plants source of livelihood cultural traditions, and have formed the basis of sophisticated financial gains, among others (Hamilton, 2004). Traditional Medicine (TM) systems that have However, medicinal plants are constrained by been in existence for thousands of years and procedures such as classification, identification, continue to provide mankind with new remedies. and characterization. Some of the oldest known medicinal systems Some 80% of the world’s population still of the world such as Ayurveda of the Indus relies upon plants for primary health care; even civilization, Arabian medicine of Mesopotamia, today in Western medicine, and despite progress Chinese and Tibetan medicine of the Yellow in synthetic chemistry, some 25% of River civilization of China and Kempo of the prescription medicines are still derived either Japanese are all based mostly on plants. The directly or indirectly from plants (Farnsworth ancient cultures are known for their systematic & Soejarto, 1991). Nearly 50,000 species of collection of information on herbs and their rich higher plants have been used for medicinal and well-defined herbal pharmacopoeias. purposes. They are also used in food, cleaning, Although some of the therapeutic properties personal care and perfumery. In systems of attributed to plants have proven to be erroneous, traditional healing, major pharmaceutical drugs medicinal plant therapy is based on the have been either derived from or patterned after empirical findings of hundreds and thousands compounds from biological diversity (Bisset, of years (Gurib Fakim, 2006). 1994). A trend in phytomedicine is the use of According to OPS (Arias, 1999) a medicinal new plant origin bioactive compounds with the plant is (1) any plant used in order to relieve, potential for chemical modification, which will prevent or cure a disease or to alter broaden phytomedical importance. Molecular physiological and pathological process, or (2) biology is also being used in this process and any plant employed as a source of drugs or the pharmacological profiles of these their precursors. A phytopharmaceutical compounds are screened using new research preparation or herbal medicine is any equipment and new technology (Cordell, 2000; manufactured medicine obtained exclusively Cordell & Colvard, 2005; Yaniv & Bachrach, from plants (aerial and non-aerial parts, juices, 2005; Pieters & Vlietinck, 2005). resins and oil), either in the crude state or as a The use of plants in medicines ranges from pharmaceutical formulation (Rates, 2001). crude preparations or extracts, to refined There is ample archaeological evidence extracts and single molecular species. In terms indicating that medicinal plants were regularly of categories of use this encompasses food employed by people in prehistoric times. In supplements, herbal medicines, botanical drugs several ancient cultures botanical products were and prescription medicines. Increased interest ingested for biomedically curative and in plants as a source of novel pharmacophores psychotherapeutic purposes (Halsberstein, 2005). recognizes their chemical diversity and Knowledge of medicinal plants has usually versatility, not matched by synthetic chemistry resulted from trial and error methods, and often libraries. In spite of the surge of activity in based on speculation and superstition (Hamayun synthetic chemistry over the last 20 years or so, et al., 2006). The strong historic bond between almost half the some 850 small molecules plants and human health began to unwind in introduced as drugs were derived from plant 1897, when Friedrich Bayer and Co. introduced sources. Over 100 small molecules derived synthetic acetyl salicylic acid (aspirin) to the either directly or indirectly from plants are world. Aspirin is a safer synthetic analogue of currently at some point in the clinical trials salicylic acid, an active ingredient of willow bark, process (Fowler, 2006). BARBOZA, G. E. et al. Medicinal flora of Argentina 9 The beneficial medicinal effects of plant The pharmaceutical and biotechnological materials typically result from the combinations industries are much interested in using this of secondary products present in the plant. That knowledge for the discovery, development the medicinal actions of plants are unique to and application, within biodiversity, of new particular plant species or groups is consistent active products on health and new genes with with this concept as the combinations of properties for food improvement (Heinrich & secondary products in a particular plant are Gibbons, 2001). In recent years, the plant often taxonomically distinct (Kaufman et al., remedies used in TM – both in traditional 1999). Ecological function of secondary herbal medicine and in shamanic healing- products may have some bearing on potential have received considerable attention for medicinal effects for humans. For example, ethnobotanist, and today the chemistry and secondary products involved in plant defense pharmacology of many of these are well through cytotoxicity toward microbial understood (Cotton, 1997). Chemical analyses pathogens could prove useful as antimicrobial and biological assays have begun to play an medicines in humans, if not too toxic (Briskin, important part in ethnobotanical studies and 2000). In contrast to synthetic pharmaceuticals there are now numerous examples where based upon single chemicals, many scientific analyses have provided objective phytomedicines exert their beneficial effects evidence to validate traditional plant use, for through the additive or synergistic action of example Homalanthus nutans (G. Forst.) several chemical compounds acting at single Guill. (Euphorbiaceae), used by samoan or multiple target sites associated with a healers against the viral disease yellow fever; physiological process. This synergistic or extracts have been found to exhibit potent additive pharmacological effect can be antiviral activity, particularly against the beneficial by eliminating the problematic side human immunodeficiency virus HIV-1 effects associated with the predominance of a (Balick & Cox, 1996). As new uses of single xenobiotic compound in the body (Tyler, medicinal plants are discovered and 1999). popularized, the concern for sustainability is Ethnobotanical studies have become being increasingly addressed; concern over increasingly valuable in the development of the growth in biopiracy also combines with health care and conservation programs in the critical need for the conservation of different parts of the world. The green species and their habitat (Science Reference pharmaceuticals are receiving extraordinary Services, 2008). importance and popularity.