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Papers by Chris Fagg

Phytotaxa, 2015

Paspalum cerradoense R.C. Oliveira & Valls, a new species from the “Chapada dos Veadeiros” region... more Paspalum cerradoense R.C. Oliveira & Valls, a new species from the “Chapada dos Veadeiros” region, in the Cerrado biome, Brazil, is here described and illustrated. It is included in the informal Notata group of Paspalum, because of the inflorescences with two distal conjugated racemes. The new species has a chromosome number of 2n=20, which is in agreement with the basic chromosome number of other species of the Notata group. As there are similarities between Paspalum cerradoense, P. cromyorhizon, and P. ionanthum, morphological and anatomical characters of these three species are compared. There are at least 30 differences between these species, which corroborate the consistency of their circumscriptions.

Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2015

Information regarding the beneficial use of native Brazilian plants was compiled by a number of E... more Information regarding the beneficial use of native Brazilian plants was compiled by a number of European naturalists in the 19th century. The Scottish surgeon botanist George Gardner (1812-1849) was one such naturalist; however, the useful plants recorded in his manuscripts have not yet been studied in depth. To present data recorded by Gardner in his manuscript Catalogue of Brazilian Plants regarding the use of native plants by Brazilian people and evaluate the extent to which they have been explored. Data on useful plants were obtained from Gardner׳s manuscript Catalogue of Brazilian Plants deposited in the Archives of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, UK. The identification of each plant was determined and/or updated by consulting the preserved botanical collections of Gardner deposited in the Herbarium of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (hereafter K), and expert determinations in other herbaria where duplicates are held. Correlated pharmacological studies for each plant were obtained from the PubMed database. Information recorded in Gardner׳s diary and previously published elsewhere complemented these data. A total of 63 useful plants was recorded from the Catalogue and a further 30 from Gardner׳s book Travels in the Interior of Brazil (Gardner, 1846). Of the recorded names in the Catalogue, 46 (73%) could be identified to species by consulting specimens collected by Gardner and held at Kew. Thirty-six different traditional uses were registered for the identified plants, the most common being as febrifuges, to treat venereal complaints and as purgatives. Fewer than 50% of these species have been the focus of published pharmacological studies, yet for those which have been thus investigated, the efficacies reported by Gardner were confirmed. The data recorded by Gardner represent a rich, relatively unexplored source of information regarding the traditional uses of Brazilian plants which merits further investigation.

Clinical Oral Investigations, 2014

Objectives Antineoplastic effects of molecules derived from plants have recently gained increasin... more Objectives Antineoplastic effects of molecules derived from plants have recently gained increasing attention as an additive to traditional therapies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cytotoxic activity of plant extracts from the Brazilian Cerrado biome associated with radiotherapy in head and neck carcinoma cells (HNSCC). Materials and methods Fifteen extracts derived from five Cerrado plants were tested in HNSCC cell lines (SCC-25, SCC-9, FaDu) and keratinocyte cells (HaCat). Cell cytotoxicity of extracts and association extract/radiation (2Gy/min) was assessed by MTT assay. Cisplatin (50 μg/mL) was used as a positive control. Extracts with the major cytotoxic activity were selected and their IC50 concentrations were defined. Apoptosis was assessed using flow cytometric analysis. Results Ten isolated extracts resulted in moderate cytotoxicity (>20 and ≤50 % of viable cells), while three extracts induced severe cytotoxic effects (≤20 % of viable cells). Plant extracts treatment improved radiotherapy cytotoxicity in all cell lines. Although plant extracts are not as potent as cisplatin plus radiation, in FaDu cells, seven extracts associated with irradiation showed cytotoxic activity similar or better than the association of cisplatin and radiation. Hexanic extract of Erythroxylum daphinites could induce apoptosis in oral cancer cells; however, necrosis was the prevalent kind of death in FaDu cells treated with hexanic extract of Erythroxylum suberosum. Conclusions Pre-treatment of HNSCC cells with the extract derived from Cerrado plants followed by irradiation induced a supra-additive cytotoxic effect. Clinical relevance This study highlights the potential biological relevance of the Cerrado biome when associated with traditional therapy for cancer.

Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2013

Bitter tasting plant species are used as tonics and have been previously used to treat intermitte... more Bitter tasting plant species are used as tonics and have been previously used to treat intermittent fevers in Brazil, the principal symptom of malaria. Many of these species were named quina and were used as substitutes of Cinchona spp., the source of quinine. To present data on these bitter species named quina and to discuss their potential as sources of bioactive substances. Data about the plants were obtained from a survey of the literature and documents written by early naturalists and clinical doctors living in the 18th and 19th centuries in Brazil. Correlated pharmacological studies were obtained from different scientific databases. A total of 29 species were recorded. The largest number of species belonged to the Rubiaceae family (14), being Remijia ferruginea (A. St.-Hil) DC. the most representative. Strychnos pseudoquina A. St.-Hil. (Loganiaceae), Hortia brasiliana Vand. ex DC. (Rutaceae) and Solanum pseudoquina A. St.-Hil. (Solanaceae) were also frequently mentioned in the historical bibliography. Pharmacological studies have shown the presence of bitter bioactive substances useful to treat digestive disorders and/or with antimalarial activities, in all of the recorded botanic families. This study shows that several bitter species named quina were used in the past as substitute of Cinchona spp. and studying these plants can lead to the development of new products.

This research is part of a larger study of the Brazilian species that are commonly referred to as... more This research is part of a larger study of the Brazilian species that are commonly referred to as "quinas" and used as substitute of Cinchona species. In this study, we have performed the botanical characterization of the stem bark of Remijia ferruginea (A. St.-Hil.) DC., Rubiaceae, by morphological and anatomical description, and the analysis of its chemical profile. Stem bark is thin and has the color and the texture of its external and internal surfaces as diagnostic features. Types and sizes of sclerified cells in the cortical parenchyma and in the secondary phloem are important features for analysis of the transversal sections and in the macerate. Alkaloids, flavonoids and chlorogenic acid were detected in the chemical analysis for TLC. These standard references can be used in the quality control of the bark of quinas.

Infarma - Ciências Farmacêuticas, 2014

This study aims to evaluate the microbial contamination of Mikania sp. (plant drug, tincture and ... more This study aims to evaluate the microbial contamination of Mikania sp. (plant drug, tincture and syrup) and Cordia verbenacea (plant drug, tincture and ointment). Furthermore, it had been investigated the possible interference caused by secondary metabolites from these species on proposed evaluation. The microbial contamination was determined using the pour plate method. The evaluation of the interference in the process of the microbiological quality was performed by determining the recovery of viable microorganisms using Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922) and Candida albicans (ATCC 90028). In the evaluation the microbiological quality, dried leaves from C. verbenacea and Mikania sp. showed 4.5 x 104 CFU/g and 2.08 x 104 CFU/g of bacteria, respectively. Regarding count of C. verbenacea tincture, was found 3.3 x 103 CFU/mL for yeasts and molds and 2.2 x 103 CFU/ mL for bacteria. For the ointment containing C. verbenacea tincture was found 1.1 x 103 CFU/g of bacteria, while fungi were not detected. Regarding microbial contamination of the syrup was not observed growth of bacteria, molds and yeasts in any of repetitions. Also, derivatives from both species were able to inhibit the growth of strains of E. coli and C. albicans. Thus, the presence of secondary metabolites with antimicrobial activity on C. verbenacea and Mikania sp. seems to interfere in the evaluation of the microbiological quality of products derived from plant drug.

One of the major challenges in ecosystem conservation is obtaining baseline data, particularly fo... more One of the major challenges in ecosystem conservation is obtaining baseline data, particularly for regions that have been poorly inventoried, such as regions of the African continent. Here we use a database of African herbar-ium records and examples from the literature to show that, although herbarium records have traditionally been collected to build botanical reference " libraries " for taxonomic and inventory purposes, they provide valuable and useful information regarding species, their distribution in time and space, their traits, phenological characteristics , associated species and their physical environment. These data have the potential to provide invaluable information to feed into evidence-based conservation decisions.

Pouteria caimito (Sapotaceae) is widely distributed throughout Latin America, including Brazil. T... more Pouteria caimito (Sapotaceae) is widely distributed throughout Latin America, including Brazil. The yellow fruits, known as abiu, caimito, or abiurana, are eaten in natura or used to prepare desserts. In addition to being a commercially available Brazilian fruit, P. caimito has also been used as a traditional medicine. Therefore, hexane, ethanol, and aqueous extracts from its leaves were evaluated for radical-scavenging activity. Free radical-scavenging activity was tested using the DPPH assay. Total phenolic and proanthocyanidin contents were also determined. The aqueous extract comprised the highest total phenol and proanthocyanidin contents (173.6 g/mL) and showed the highest radical-scavenging activity (ED50= 36.1 g/mL). Phytochemical analysis of the hexane extract allowed the isolation of spinasterol. We found a high correlation between total phenolic and proanthocyanidin contents and radical-scavenging activity. To our knowledge, this is the first time spinasterol has been isolated from P. caimito leaves.

Plant Ecology, 2004

The cerrado has been identified as one of the richest and most threatened biomes of the world, bu... more The cerrado has been identified as one of the richest and most threatened biomes of the world, but few phytogeographical studies have been undertaken in the region. A total of 70 land systems based on climate, landscape and soils have been identified in the region, but it remains to be seen if the distribution and structure of the plant communities support these divisions. The aim of this work was to compare the floristic and structural similarity of cerrado sensu stricto within and between three physiographic units, named Pratinha, Veadeiros and São Francisco, which contain six land systems in central Brazil and cover 10 degrees of latitude and five degrees of longitude. The woody vegetation of 15 selected sites of the cerrado sensu stricto physiognomy was surveyed under a standardized methodology. The number of species per site varied from 55 to 97, with most sites having around 60 to 70 species, and Shannon´s diversity indices ranged from 3.44 to 3.73, with most sites around 3.5 suggesting high alpha diversity. Sørensen´s floristic similarity index was high, with all Figures above 0.5 between the sites in the same land system in each physiographic unit but low between sites in different land systems in the Veadeiros. Czekanowski similarity indices were lower than Sørensen’s in the comparisons due to a high structural differentiation between the sites. There is a large overlap in species occurrence in the sites but the size of their populations is very different at each site. Therefore, the high beta diversity is mostly due to differences in abundance of species between sites. The sites were separated by physiographic units, considering the first three divisions of TWINSPAN classification. The first axis of DCA ordination showed a gradient going from the cerrado on deep soils in Pratinha, through to those on sandy soils in São Francisco and ending on the shallower soils of the Veadeiros. Land systems conformed well with the floristic and structural variations of the vegetation, indicating their potential use in designing a network of conservation areas in the cerrado region and as a basis for decision-making on management.

Plants continue to be an important source of new bioactive substances. Brazil is one of the world... more Plants continue to be an important source of new bioactive substances. Brazil is one of the world's mega-diverse countries, with 20 % of the world's flora. However, the accelerated destruction of botanically rich ecosystems has contributed to a gradual loss of native medicinal species. In previous study, we have observed a fast and intensive change in trade of medicinal plants in an area of Amazon, where human occupation took place. In this study, we surveyed 15 public markets in different parts of Brazil in search of samples of 40 plants used in traditional medicine and present in first edition of Brazilian Official Pharmacopoeia (FBRAS), published in 1926. Samples of plants commercialized as the same vernacular name as in Pharmacopoeia were acquired and submitted to analysis for authentication. A total of 252 plant samples were purchased, but the laboratory analyses showed that only onehalf of the samples (126, 50.2 %) were confirmed as the same plant species so named in FBRAS. The high number of unauthenticated samples demonstrates a loss of knowledge of the original native species. The proximity of the market from areas in which the plant occurs does not guarantee that trade of false samples occurs. The impact of the commerce of the substitute species on their conservation and in public health is worrying. Strategies are necessary to promote the better use and conservation of this rich heritage offered by Brazilian biodiversity.

Plants continue to be an important source of new bioactive substances. Brazil is one of the world... more Plants continue to be an important source of new bioactive substances. Brazil is one of the world's mega-diverse countries, with 20 % of the world's flora. However, the accelerated destruction of botanically rich ecosystems has contributed to a gradual loss of native medicinal species. In previous study, we have observed a fast and intensive change in trade of medicinal plants in an area of Amazon, where human occupation took place. In this study, we surveyed 15 public markets in different parts of Brazil in search of samples of 40 plants used in traditional medicine and present in first edition of Brazilian Official Pharmacopoeia (FBRAS), published in 1926. Samples of plants commercialized as the same vernacular name as in Pharmacopoeia were acquired and submitted to analysis for authentication. A total of 252 plant samples were purchased, but the laboratory analyses showed that only onehalf of the samples (126, 50.2 %) were confirmed as the same plant species so named in FBRAS. The high number of unauthenticated samples demonstrates a loss of knowledge of the original native species. The proximity of the market from areas in which the plant occurs does not guarantee that trade of false samples occurs. The impact of the commerce of the substitute species on their conservation and in public health is worrying. Strategies are necessary to promote the better use and conservation of this rich heritage offered by Brazilian biodiversity.

Books by Chris Fagg

Esse Manual foi elaborado como um dos produtos do projeto “Avaliação do acesso dos usuários do se... more Esse Manual foi elaborado como um dos produtos do projeto “Avaliação do acesso dos usuários do serviço de saúde ao Programa de Fitoterapia no Distrito Federal, na região Administrativa de Ceilândia”, financiando pelo Edital PPSUS-DF. Não tem a intenção de esgotar o assunto. O propósito desse manual é subsidiar o profissional da área da saúde com informações sobre algumas plantas medicinais e fitoterápicos que são utilizados pelos habitantes de Ceilândia, contribuindo, assim com a PNPIC e a PNPMF.

Phytotaxa, 2015

Paspalum cerradoense R.C. Oliveira & Valls, a new species from the “Chapada dos Veadeiros” region... more Paspalum cerradoense R.C. Oliveira & Valls, a new species from the “Chapada dos Veadeiros” region, in the Cerrado biome, Brazil, is here described and illustrated. It is included in the informal Notata group of Paspalum, because of the inflorescences with two distal conjugated racemes. The new species has a chromosome number of 2n=20, which is in agreement with the basic chromosome number of other species of the Notata group. As there are similarities between Paspalum cerradoense, P. cromyorhizon, and P. ionanthum, morphological and anatomical characters of these three species are compared. There are at least 30 differences between these species, which corroborate the consistency of their circumscriptions.

Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2015

Information regarding the beneficial use of native Brazilian plants was compiled by a number of E... more Information regarding the beneficial use of native Brazilian plants was compiled by a number of European naturalists in the 19th century. The Scottish surgeon botanist George Gardner (1812-1849) was one such naturalist; however, the useful plants recorded in his manuscripts have not yet been studied in depth. To present data recorded by Gardner in his manuscript Catalogue of Brazilian Plants regarding the use of native plants by Brazilian people and evaluate the extent to which they have been explored. Data on useful plants were obtained from Gardner׳s manuscript Catalogue of Brazilian Plants deposited in the Archives of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, UK. The identification of each plant was determined and/or updated by consulting the preserved botanical collections of Gardner deposited in the Herbarium of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (hereafter K), and expert determinations in other herbaria where duplicates are held. Correlated pharmacological studies for each plant were obtained from the PubMed database. Information recorded in Gardner׳s diary and previously published elsewhere complemented these data. A total of 63 useful plants was recorded from the Catalogue and a further 30 from Gardner׳s book Travels in the Interior of Brazil (Gardner, 1846). Of the recorded names in the Catalogue, 46 (73%) could be identified to species by consulting specimens collected by Gardner and held at Kew. Thirty-six different traditional uses were registered for the identified plants, the most common being as febrifuges, to treat venereal complaints and as purgatives. Fewer than 50% of these species have been the focus of published pharmacological studies, yet for those which have been thus investigated, the efficacies reported by Gardner were confirmed. The data recorded by Gardner represent a rich, relatively unexplored source of information regarding the traditional uses of Brazilian plants which merits further investigation.

Clinical Oral Investigations, 2014

Objectives Antineoplastic effects of molecules derived from plants have recently gained increasin... more Objectives Antineoplastic effects of molecules derived from plants have recently gained increasing attention as an additive to traditional therapies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cytotoxic activity of plant extracts from the Brazilian Cerrado biome associated with radiotherapy in head and neck carcinoma cells (HNSCC). Materials and methods Fifteen extracts derived from five Cerrado plants were tested in HNSCC cell lines (SCC-25, SCC-9, FaDu) and keratinocyte cells (HaCat). Cell cytotoxicity of extracts and association extract/radiation (2Gy/min) was assessed by MTT assay. Cisplatin (50 μg/mL) was used as a positive control. Extracts with the major cytotoxic activity were selected and their IC50 concentrations were defined. Apoptosis was assessed using flow cytometric analysis. Results Ten isolated extracts resulted in moderate cytotoxicity (>20 and ≤50 % of viable cells), while three extracts induced severe cytotoxic effects (≤20 % of viable cells). Plant extracts treatment improved radiotherapy cytotoxicity in all cell lines. Although plant extracts are not as potent as cisplatin plus radiation, in FaDu cells, seven extracts associated with irradiation showed cytotoxic activity similar or better than the association of cisplatin and radiation. Hexanic extract of Erythroxylum daphinites could induce apoptosis in oral cancer cells; however, necrosis was the prevalent kind of death in FaDu cells treated with hexanic extract of Erythroxylum suberosum. Conclusions Pre-treatment of HNSCC cells with the extract derived from Cerrado plants followed by irradiation induced a supra-additive cytotoxic effect. Clinical relevance This study highlights the potential biological relevance of the Cerrado biome when associated with traditional therapy for cancer.

Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2013

Bitter tasting plant species are used as tonics and have been previously used to treat intermitte... more Bitter tasting plant species are used as tonics and have been previously used to treat intermittent fevers in Brazil, the principal symptom of malaria. Many of these species were named quina and were used as substitutes of Cinchona spp., the source of quinine. To present data on these bitter species named quina and to discuss their potential as sources of bioactive substances. Data about the plants were obtained from a survey of the literature and documents written by early naturalists and clinical doctors living in the 18th and 19th centuries in Brazil. Correlated pharmacological studies were obtained from different scientific databases. A total of 29 species were recorded. The largest number of species belonged to the Rubiaceae family (14), being Remijia ferruginea (A. St.-Hil) DC. the most representative. Strychnos pseudoquina A. St.-Hil. (Loganiaceae), Hortia brasiliana Vand. ex DC. (Rutaceae) and Solanum pseudoquina A. St.-Hil. (Solanaceae) were also frequently mentioned in the historical bibliography. Pharmacological studies have shown the presence of bitter bioactive substances useful to treat digestive disorders and/or with antimalarial activities, in all of the recorded botanic families. This study shows that several bitter species named quina were used in the past as substitute of Cinchona spp. and studying these plants can lead to the development of new products.

This research is part of a larger study of the Brazilian species that are commonly referred to as... more This research is part of a larger study of the Brazilian species that are commonly referred to as "quinas" and used as substitute of Cinchona species. In this study, we have performed the botanical characterization of the stem bark of Remijia ferruginea (A. St.-Hil.) DC., Rubiaceae, by morphological and anatomical description, and the analysis of its chemical profile. Stem bark is thin and has the color and the texture of its external and internal surfaces as diagnostic features. Types and sizes of sclerified cells in the cortical parenchyma and in the secondary phloem are important features for analysis of the transversal sections and in the macerate. Alkaloids, flavonoids and chlorogenic acid were detected in the chemical analysis for TLC. These standard references can be used in the quality control of the bark of quinas.

Infarma - Ciências Farmacêuticas, 2014

This study aims to evaluate the microbial contamination of Mikania sp. (plant drug, tincture and ... more This study aims to evaluate the microbial contamination of Mikania sp. (plant drug, tincture and syrup) and Cordia verbenacea (plant drug, tincture and ointment). Furthermore, it had been investigated the possible interference caused by secondary metabolites from these species on proposed evaluation. The microbial contamination was determined using the pour plate method. The evaluation of the interference in the process of the microbiological quality was performed by determining the recovery of viable microorganisms using Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922) and Candida albicans (ATCC 90028). In the evaluation the microbiological quality, dried leaves from C. verbenacea and Mikania sp. showed 4.5 x 104 CFU/g and 2.08 x 104 CFU/g of bacteria, respectively. Regarding count of C. verbenacea tincture, was found 3.3 x 103 CFU/mL for yeasts and molds and 2.2 x 103 CFU/ mL for bacteria. For the ointment containing C. verbenacea tincture was found 1.1 x 103 CFU/g of bacteria, while fungi were not detected. Regarding microbial contamination of the syrup was not observed growth of bacteria, molds and yeasts in any of repetitions. Also, derivatives from both species were able to inhibit the growth of strains of E. coli and C. albicans. Thus, the presence of secondary metabolites with antimicrobial activity on C. verbenacea and Mikania sp. seems to interfere in the evaluation of the microbiological quality of products derived from plant drug.

One of the major challenges in ecosystem conservation is obtaining baseline data, particularly fo... more One of the major challenges in ecosystem conservation is obtaining baseline data, particularly for regions that have been poorly inventoried, such as regions of the African continent. Here we use a database of African herbar-ium records and examples from the literature to show that, although herbarium records have traditionally been collected to build botanical reference " libraries " for taxonomic and inventory purposes, they provide valuable and useful information regarding species, their distribution in time and space, their traits, phenological characteristics , associated species and their physical environment. These data have the potential to provide invaluable information to feed into evidence-based conservation decisions.

Pouteria caimito (Sapotaceae) is widely distributed throughout Latin America, including Brazil. T... more Pouteria caimito (Sapotaceae) is widely distributed throughout Latin America, including Brazil. The yellow fruits, known as abiu, caimito, or abiurana, are eaten in natura or used to prepare desserts. In addition to being a commercially available Brazilian fruit, P. caimito has also been used as a traditional medicine. Therefore, hexane, ethanol, and aqueous extracts from its leaves were evaluated for radical-scavenging activity. Free radical-scavenging activity was tested using the DPPH assay. Total phenolic and proanthocyanidin contents were also determined. The aqueous extract comprised the highest total phenol and proanthocyanidin contents (173.6 g/mL) and showed the highest radical-scavenging activity (ED50= 36.1 g/mL). Phytochemical analysis of the hexane extract allowed the isolation of spinasterol. We found a high correlation between total phenolic and proanthocyanidin contents and radical-scavenging activity. To our knowledge, this is the first time spinasterol has been isolated from P. caimito leaves.

Plant Ecology, 2004

The cerrado has been identified as one of the richest and most threatened biomes of the world, bu... more The cerrado has been identified as one of the richest and most threatened biomes of the world, but few phytogeographical studies have been undertaken in the region. A total of 70 land systems based on climate, landscape and soils have been identified in the region, but it remains to be seen if the distribution and structure of the plant communities support these divisions. The aim of this work was to compare the floristic and structural similarity of cerrado sensu stricto within and between three physiographic units, named Pratinha, Veadeiros and São Francisco, which contain six land systems in central Brazil and cover 10 degrees of latitude and five degrees of longitude. The woody vegetation of 15 selected sites of the cerrado sensu stricto physiognomy was surveyed under a standardized methodology. The number of species per site varied from 55 to 97, with most sites having around 60 to 70 species, and Shannon´s diversity indices ranged from 3.44 to 3.73, with most sites around 3.5 suggesting high alpha diversity. Sørensen´s floristic similarity index was high, with all Figures above 0.5 between the sites in the same land system in each physiographic unit but low between sites in different land systems in the Veadeiros. Czekanowski similarity indices were lower than Sørensen’s in the comparisons due to a high structural differentiation between the sites. There is a large overlap in species occurrence in the sites but the size of their populations is very different at each site. Therefore, the high beta diversity is mostly due to differences in abundance of species between sites. The sites were separated by physiographic units, considering the first three divisions of TWINSPAN classification. The first axis of DCA ordination showed a gradient going from the cerrado on deep soils in Pratinha, through to those on sandy soils in São Francisco and ending on the shallower soils of the Veadeiros. Land systems conformed well with the floristic and structural variations of the vegetation, indicating their potential use in designing a network of conservation areas in the cerrado region and as a basis for decision-making on management.

Plants continue to be an important source of new bioactive substances. Brazil is one of the world... more Plants continue to be an important source of new bioactive substances. Brazil is one of the world's mega-diverse countries, with 20 % of the world's flora. However, the accelerated destruction of botanically rich ecosystems has contributed to a gradual loss of native medicinal species. In previous study, we have observed a fast and intensive change in trade of medicinal plants in an area of Amazon, where human occupation took place. In this study, we surveyed 15 public markets in different parts of Brazil in search of samples of 40 plants used in traditional medicine and present in first edition of Brazilian Official Pharmacopoeia (FBRAS), published in 1926. Samples of plants commercialized as the same vernacular name as in Pharmacopoeia were acquired and submitted to analysis for authentication. A total of 252 plant samples were purchased, but the laboratory analyses showed that only onehalf of the samples (126, 50.2 %) were confirmed as the same plant species so named in FBRAS. The high number of unauthenticated samples demonstrates a loss of knowledge of the original native species. The proximity of the market from areas in which the plant occurs does not guarantee that trade of false samples occurs. The impact of the commerce of the substitute species on their conservation and in public health is worrying. Strategies are necessary to promote the better use and conservation of this rich heritage offered by Brazilian biodiversity.

Plants continue to be an important source of new bioactive substances. Brazil is one of the world... more Plants continue to be an important source of new bioactive substances. Brazil is one of the world's mega-diverse countries, with 20 % of the world's flora. However, the accelerated destruction of botanically rich ecosystems has contributed to a gradual loss of native medicinal species. In previous study, we have observed a fast and intensive change in trade of medicinal plants in an area of Amazon, where human occupation took place. In this study, we surveyed 15 public markets in different parts of Brazil in search of samples of 40 plants used in traditional medicine and present in first edition of Brazilian Official Pharmacopoeia (FBRAS), published in 1926. Samples of plants commercialized as the same vernacular name as in Pharmacopoeia were acquired and submitted to analysis for authentication. A total of 252 plant samples were purchased, but the laboratory analyses showed that only onehalf of the samples (126, 50.2 %) were confirmed as the same plant species so named in FBRAS. The high number of unauthenticated samples demonstrates a loss of knowledge of the original native species. The proximity of the market from areas in which the plant occurs does not guarantee that trade of false samples occurs. The impact of the commerce of the substitute species on their conservation and in public health is worrying. Strategies are necessary to promote the better use and conservation of this rich heritage offered by Brazilian biodiversity.

Esse Manual foi elaborado como um dos produtos do projeto “Avaliação do acesso dos usuários do se... more Esse Manual foi elaborado como um dos produtos do projeto “Avaliação do acesso dos usuários do serviço de saúde ao Programa de Fitoterapia no Distrito Federal, na região Administrativa de Ceilândia”, financiando pelo Edital PPSUS-DF. Não tem a intenção de esgotar o assunto. O propósito desse manual é subsidiar o profissional da área da saúde com informações sobre algumas plantas medicinais e fitoterápicos que são utilizados pelos habitantes de Ceilândia, contribuindo, assim com a PNPIC e a PNPMF.