Aspectos etnofarmacológicos, farmacológicos, fitoquímicos e analíticos da espécie Cissampelos sympodialis: uma revisão de escopo

Abstract

Cissampelos sympodialis, popularly known as milona, is a species native to Brazil, widely cultivated in the semi-arid region of the Northeast, which has attracted increasing scientific interest due to its remarkable therapeutic potential, as evidenced by numerous studies over the past decades. This scoping review aims to compile and critically analyze the available data regarding the ethnopharmacology, pharmacology, phytochemistry, and quality control of this species. To this end, a systematic search was conducted in the PubMed, LILACS, Scopus®, and Web of Science™ databases, resulting in the selection of 38 studies that met the predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Phytochemical analysis revealed that the main chemical markers of the species are the alkaloids warifteine, methylwarifteine, and milonine, in addition to other compounds such as liriodenine, roraimine, and their isomers. Evidence indicates that these alkaloids, in synergy with other secondary metabolites, confer to C. sympodialis a wide range of biological activities, including anxiolytic, antidepressant, antiallergic, gastroprotective, anti-inflammatory, and metabolic modulatory effects. Additionally, data from preclinical and clinical studies demonstrate that extracts of this species exhibit a favorable safety profile, with no signs of acute toxicity even at high doses. However, significant gaps remain, particularly regarding the conduction of robust ethnopharmacological studies and larger-scale clinical trials that enable the effective translation of laboratory findings into clinical practice.