Endopleura uchi (Huber) Cuatrec, a medicinal plant with potential anti-inflammatory activity: A review of its phytochemistry and biological activities

Endopleura uchi (Huber) Cuatrec. is a tree found in the Brazilian Amazon, whose barks are used in folk medicine as an alternative treatment for inflammatory-related diseases. This review, performed using current available international scientific literature, aimed to survey biological activities reported from E. uchi, and describes its phytochemistry. In folk medicine, the barks are used to treat a range of conditions such as intestinal infections, inflammations, diabetes, arthritis, among others; the fruits have some unique nutritional benefits. Phytochemical studies with this plant species indicate the presence of tannins, saponins, and mainly bergenin (a coumarin) in the barks. Among biological activities reported using extracts from the barks are: Inhibition of acetylcholinesterase and butylcholinesterase, bacteriostatic and bactericidal activity, antidiabetic activity through inhibition of α-glucosidase, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity. Bergenin, the most abundant molecule, has antimicrobial activity mainly against yeasts and anti-inflammatory activity apparently through mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) and muclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) inhibition; its acetylated derivative acetylbergenin has analgesic and more prominent anti-inflammatory activity. Key words: Anti-inflammatory, bergenin, Endopleura uchi, phytochemistry.