Medicinal Potential of Garcinia Species and Their Compounds
Bruna Larissa Spontoni do Espírito Santo, Lidiani Figueiredo Santana, Wilson Hino Kato, Felipe de Oliveira de Araújo, Danielle Bogo, Karine de Cássia Freitas, Rita de Cássia Avellaneda Guimarães, Priscila Aiko Hiane, Arnildo Pott, Wander Fernando de Oliveira Filiú, Marcel Arakaki Asato, Patrícia de Oliveira Figueiredo, Paulo Roberto Haidamus de Oliveira Bastos
Abstract
Garcinia is a genus of Clusiaceae, distributed throughout tropical Asia, Africa, New Caledonia, Polynesia, and Brazil. Garcinia plants contain a broad range of biologically active metabolites which, in the last few decades, have received considerable attention due to the chemical compositions of their extracts, with compounds which have been shown to have beneficial effects in several diseases. Our work had the objective of reviewing the benefits of five Garcinia species (G. brasiliensis, G. gardneriana, G. pedunculata, G. cambogia, and G. mangstana). These species provide a rich natural source of bioactive compounds with relevant therapeutic properties and anti-inflammatory effects, such as for the treatment of skin disorders, wounds, pain, and infections, having demonstrated antinociceptive, antioxidant, antitumoral, antifungal, anticancer, antihistaminic, antiulcerogenic, antimicrobial, antiviral, vasodilator, hypolipidemic, hepatoprotective, nephroprotective, and cardioprotective properties. This demonstrates the relevance of the genus as a rich source of compounds with valuable therapeutic properties, with potential use in the prevention and treatment of nontransmissible chronic diseases.