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Review
. 2021 Nov 11;14(11):1145.
doi: 10.3390/ph14111145.

Pharmacology and Phytochemistry of Ecuadorian Medicinal Plants: An Update and Perspectives

Chabaco Armijos  1 , Jorge Ramírez  1 , Melissa Salinas  1 , Giovanni Vidari  2 , Alírica I Suárez  1   3
Affiliations
Review

Pharmacology and Phytochemistry of Ecuadorian Medicinal Plants: An Update and Perspectives

Chabaco Armijos et al. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). .

Abstract

The use of plants as therapeutic agents is part of the traditional medicine that is practiced by many indigenous communities in Ecuador. The aim of this study was to update a review published in 2016 by including the studies that were carried out in the period 2016-July 2021 on about 120 Ecuadorian medicinal plants. Relevant data on raw extracts and isolated secondary metabolites were retrieved from different databases, resulting in 104 references. They included phytochemical and pharmacological studies on several non-volatile compounds, as well as the chemical composition of essential oils (EOs). The tested biological activities are also reported. The potential of Ecuadorian plants as sources of products for practical applications in different fields, as well the perspectives of future investigations, are discussed in the last part of the review.

Keywords: Ecuador; biological/pharmacological activities; ethnobotany; medicinal plants; phytochemistry; traditional uses.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Provinces of Ecuador.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Structures of compounds 1 from Pseudodranassa spp., 2 and 3 from Baccharis obtusifolia, 4 and 5 from Gynoxis verrucosa, 6 from Hedyosmum racemosum, and 7 from Clusia latipes.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Structures of compounds 8–12 from Bejaria resinosa and 13–16 from Croton ferrugineus.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Structures of compounds 17–23 from Croton thurifer.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Structures of compounds 24–27 from Otholobium mexicanum.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Structures of compounds 28 and 29 from Lepechinia heteromorpha; 30–33 from L. mutica; 28–30 and 34 from L. paniculata; and 33, 35, and 36 from L. radula.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Structures of compounds 37–39 from Grias neubertii and 40–45 from Gaiadendron punctatum.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Structures of compounds 46–50 from Huperzia compacta, H. columnaris, and H. tetragona; 51 and 52 from H. brevifolia and H. espinosana; and 53–56 from H. crassa.
Figure 9
Figure 9
Structures of compounds 57–60 from Piper barbatum; 61 and 62 from P. coruscans; 62 and 63 from P. ecuadorense; 64–66 from Piper lanceifolium; and 61, 62, 67 and 68 from P. pubinervulum.
Figure 10
Figure 10
Structures of compounds 69–73 from Piper subscutatum.
Figure 11
Figure 11
Structures of compounds 74–80 from Muehlenbeckia tamnifolia.
Figure 12
Figure 12
Structures of compounds 81–84 from Oreocallis grandiflora and 85–87 from Roupala montana.
Figure 13
Figure 13
Structures of compounds 88–110 from Arcytophyllum thymifolium and 111 from Siparuna echinata.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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