Angiosperm diversity and medicinal species of Cerrado area

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to investigate the plant diversity of a Cerrado area in Prudente de Morais, MG, and its medicinal indications. Nine field trips were made to the reserve of Fazenda Experimental Santa Rita of the Empresa de Pesquisa Agropecuária de Minas Gerais (FESR/EPAMIG) (19°26’20” S and 44°09’15” W). The plant material collected was herborized, identified and incorporated into the collection of the Herbarium PAMG/EPAMIG. The classification system used was the APG III. After identification, we carried out a literature search to find data about the medical use of the species. 108 species were collected, belonging to 47 families. The most representative families were Fabaceae, with 16 species, Myrtaceae with seven species, Asteraceae and Rubiaceae with six species each, Malpighiaceae and Solanaceae with five species each, Erythroxylaceae, Euphorbiaceae and Vochysiaceae, with four species each, Anacardiaceae, Apocynaceae, Lamiaceae and Sapindaceae with three species each, Annonaceae, Arecaceae, Bignoniaceae, Celastraceae and Primulaceae with two species each. Twenty-nine families were monoespecific. From the 108 species, 39 are trees (36%), 43 are shrubs (40%), six are subshrubs (5.5%), 14 are climbing (13%) and six are herbs (5.5%). Sixty-six (61%) species belonging to 39 families (83%) are commonly used for the treatment of diseases. The families with the highest number of medicinal species were the Fabaceae with eight species; the Rubiaceae with five species and the Solanaceae with four species. The species showing more therapeutic purposes were: Brosimum gaudichaudii Trécul (Moraceae), Caryocar brasiliense Cambess. (Caryocaraceae), Cochlospermum regium (Mart. Ex Schrank) Pilg. (Bixaceae), Croton urucurana Bail. (Euphorbiaceae), Gomphrena officinalis Mart. (Amaranthaceae), Hymenaea stigonocarpa Mart. ex Hayne (Fabaceae), Lithrea molleoides (Vell.) Engl. (Anacardiaceae), Myracrodruon urundeuva Allemão (Anacardiaceae) and Randia. armata (Sw.) DC. (Rubiaceae). The therapeutic purposes indicated by the highest number of species were: tonic (15 spp., 22.7%), diseases of the respiratory system (13 spp., 19.6%), skin affections (12 spp., 18%) and fever (12 spp., 18%). The traditional knowledge of medicinal plants of the Cerrado should be investigated further in order to be preserved and enhanced. In that sense, conservation measures should be taken for these plants do not disappear before their traditional use is supported by science.

Keywords
Medicinal plants; plant diversity; ethnopharmacology