Laboratório de Tecnologia & Biotecnologia Farmacêutica (TecBioFar), Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas (PPgCF), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Rua General Cordeiro de Farias, s/n, Petrópolis, 59012-570 Natal, RN, Brazil.
Laboratório de Farmacognosia, Departamento de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Rua General Cordeiro de Farias, s/n, Petrópolis, 59012-570 Natal, RN, Brazil.
Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2014;2014:369204. doi: 10.1155/2014/369204. Epub 2014 Jun 5.
Jatropha gossypiifolia L. (Euphorbiaceae), widely known as "bellyache bush," is a medicinal plant largely used throughout Africa and America. Several human and veterinary uses in traditional medicine are described for different parts and preparations based on this plant. However, critical reviews discussing emphatically its medicinal value are missing. This review aims to provide an up-to-date overview of the traditional uses, as well as the phytochemistry, pharmacology, and toxicity data of J. gossypiifolia species, in view of discussing its medicinal value and potential application in complementary and alternative medicine. Pharmacological studies have demonstrated significant action of different extracts and/or isolated compounds as antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antidiarrheal, antihypertensive, and anticancer agents, among others, supporting some of its popular uses. No clinical trial has been detected to date. Further studies are necessary to assay important folk uses, as well as to find new bioactive molecules with pharmacological relevance based on the popular claims. Toxicological studies associated with phytochemical analysis are important to understand the eventual toxic effects that could reduce its medicinal value. The present review provides insights for future research aiming for both ethnopharmacological validation of its popular use and its exploration as a new source of herbal drugs and/or bioactive natural products.
麻疯树（大戟科），俗称“腹痛树”，是一种药用植物，在非洲和美洲被广泛使用。根据该植物的不同部位和制剂，在传统医学中有几种人类和兽医的用途。然而，缺乏对其药用价值的重要评价。本综述旨在提供麻疯树属植物的传统用途、植物化学、药理学和毒理学数据的最新概述，以讨论其药用价值及其在补充和替代医学中的潜在应用。药理研究表明，不同提取物和/或分离化合物具有显著的抗菌、抗炎、抗腹泻、降压和抗癌作用等，支持其一些流行用途。迄今为止，尚未检测到临床试验。有必要进一步研究重要的民间用途，以及根据流行的说法寻找具有药理相关性的新的生物活性分子。与植物化学分析相关的毒理学研究对于了解可能降低其药用价值的潜在毒性作用非常重要。本综述为未来的研究提供了见解，旨在验证其流行用途的民族药理学，并将其作为草药药物和/或生物活性天然产物的新来源进行探索。
