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Smilax campestris Griseb.

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Medicinal and Aromatic Plants of South America Vol. 2

Part of the book series: Medicinal and Aromatic Plants of the World ((MAPW,volume 7))

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Abstract

Smilax campestris Griseb. (Smilacaceae) (“zarzaparrilla”) is a medicinal plant species widely used by traditional communities in South America. In general, the plant parts used by popular medicine are the rhizophore (underground stem) and roots, in the form of infusions or decoctions. Their main indications are: antirheumatic, antisyphilitic, diuretic, diaphoretic, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and to treat skin conditions (i.e. psoriasis) and gout; among others. There is lacking scientific evidence regarding the phytochemistry of such aqueous extracts, as well as their biological and pharmacological properties. Both aerial and underground organs have been described to contain polyphenolic acids, flavonoids (aglycones, glycosides and proanthocyanidin oligomers/polymers) and saponins; but no systematic research on the isolation of other families of natural products has been conducted, yet. The production of secondary metabolites (in particular flavonoids) is highly dependent on both environmental conditions (solar radiation, herbivores, etc.) of habitats and the phenological stage of the plant itself. The scientific pharmacological in vitro tests performed on S. campestris extracts have confirmed their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, as well as the lack of acute toxicity. However, they have failed to demonstrate diuretic effects in in vivo models; results on the antimicrobial potential are controversial. Further research is needed to evaluate the other ethnomedicinal properties attributed to the vegetal drug. This chapter presents a critical review of the special literature on S. campestris including the most updated information available in journals, books and the internet.

figure a

Smilax campestris Griseb. (Photo: Rosângela G. Rolim. With permission by the author.)

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to acknowledge to Centro Universitario de Tacuarembó (CUT-UdelaR). Prof. Rosângela G. Rolim (UFRGS), Prof. Aline R. Martins (UNESP) and Prof. Diego Passarella (CUT-UdelaR) are recognized for his contribution with photographs of the plant material.

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  1. Espacio de Ciencia y Tecnología Química, Centro Universitario Regional Noreste/Sede Tacuarembó, Universidad de la República, Tacuarembó, Uruguay

    Manuel Minteguiaga & Fernando Ferreira

  2. Laboratorio de Biotecnología de Aromas, Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Química, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay

    Manuel Minteguiaga

  3. Laboratorio de Carbohidratos y Glicoconjugados, Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Química, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay

    Fernando Ferreira

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  1. Manuel Minteguiaga
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Correspondence to Manuel Minteguiaga .

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  1. Faculty of Agr. & Food Sc., Széchenyi István University, Mosonmagyaróvár, Hungary

    Ákos Máthé

  2. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Farmacognosia, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Arnaldo Bandoni

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Minteguiaga, M., Ferreira, F. (2021). Smilax campestris Griseb.. In: Máthé, Á., Bandoni, A. (eds) Medicinal and Aromatic Plants of South America Vol. 2. Medicinal and Aromatic Plants of the World, vol 7. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-62818-5_38

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