O GÊNERO Fridericia (BIGNONIACEAE): COMPOSIÇÃO QUÍMICA E POTENCIAL BIOLÓGICO

THE GENUS Fridericia (BIGNONIACEAE): CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND BIOLOGICAL POTENTIAL. The genus Fridericia belongs to the family Bignoniaceae and comprises 60 species that occur in humid to dry forests, cerrado, and caatinga vegetation. It may be found from Mexico to Argentina and southern Brazil. This article reviews studies conducted on this genus, primarily focusing on its chemical composition and biological activities. Of the 60 known Fridericia species, only 14 have been the object of chemical and biological studies, accounting for 23% of the researched species. Eighty-four compounds, mainly flavonoids, terpenes, xanthones, and phenylethanoids, have been isolated from these species. The biological properties described in this review include antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, antiviral, healing, antiproliferative, trypanocidal, and antileishmania activities. Notably, the species F. chica has been the most studied, as it is listed in the National List of Medicinal Plants of Interest to the Brazilian Unified Health System (RENISUS).