A comprehensive review of Pfaffia glomerata botany, ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, biological activities, and biotechnology.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Pfaffia glomerata (Spreng.) Pedersen, Amaranthaceae, is found in South America, mainly in Brazil, where it is considered a species of great medicinal interest owing to its popular use as a tonic, aphrodisiac, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic. These properties can be attributed to the presence of the phytosteroid, 20-Hydroxyecdysone (ß-ecdysone), the main compound found in its roots. AIM OF THE REVIEW: This review aims to provide information about the botanical characteristics, ethnomedicinal uses, the phytochemistry, the biological activities, and the biotechnology of P. glomerata, an important species to local communities and groups researching medicinal plants of South America. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The information available on P. glomerata was collected from scientific databases (ScienceDirect, PubMed/MEDLINE, SciELO, and Scopus) until June 7, 2023, using the search terms "Pfaffia glomerata", "Pfaffia glomerata (Spreng.) Pedersen", and "Brazilian ginseng". The review includes studies that evaluated the botanical, ethnopharmacological, and phytochemical aspects, biological properties, nutraceutical uses, and the application of biotechnology for improving the biosynthesis of metabolites of interest. RESULTS: A total of 207 studies were identified, with 81 articles read in full. Seventy-six studies were included for qualitative synthesis. Overall, 40 compounds belonging to different classes are presented in this review, including ecdysteroids, triterpenes, saponins, flavonoids, anthraquinones, tannins, coumarins, alkaloids, and polysaccharides. Among them, flavonoids, anthraquinones, tannins, coumarins, and alkaloids were only putatively identified. ß-Ecdysone, triterpenes, saponins, and polysaccharides are the chemical components most frequently identified and isolated from P. glomerata and possibly responsible for ethnopharmacological use and the biological activities of this species, with important in vitro and in vivo activities, such as anti-inflammatory, antidepressant, aphrodisiac, analgesic, gastroprotective, antioxidant, and prebiotic. CONCLUSIONS: This review summarizes discussions about the P. glomerata species, highlighting its ethnopharmacological, chemical, biotechnological, and nutraceutical importance. New scientific studies on this species are encouraged in the search for new therapeutic molecules with pharmaceutical potential and nutraceutical applications.

Inulin extraction from Stevia rebaudiana roots in an autoclave.

Inulin is a polymer of d-fructose, characterized by the presence of a terminal glucose, and are a major component of Stevia rebaudiana roots. This type of polymer has nutritional properties and technological applications, such as fat substitutes in low-calorie foods and as the coating of pharmaceuticals. The aim of this study was to evaluate an alternative method for inulin extraction, in terms of extraction time and yield, since the traditional method of extraction under reflux is both time and energy consuming. Using the response surface methodology (RSM) with Box-Behnken design it was observed that the alternative extraction method using autoclave presented similar yields to the reflux-based method, but with a shorter extraction time, 121 °C by 17.41 min 1H Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-ToF-MS) analysis showed that inulin crude extract from S. rebaudiana roots obtained by autoclave extraction had a higher degree of polymerization when compared to those obtained by the traditional method. Thus, it is concluded that the proposed method using an autoclave is a faster alternative for the extraction of inulin.