Efeito antiparasitário de extratos e de moléculas presentes em Schinus terebinthifolius: uma revisão integrativa

Abstract

Neglected tropical diseases continue to receive minimal investment in research and development. As a consequence, the available therapeutic arsenal remains limited, with few effective drugs and, in many cases, obsolete treatments with little prospect of change. In this context, the species Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi, widely distributed in Brazil, has aroused scientific interest, and several studies have been investigating its pharmacological actions, including antiparasitic activities. Therefore, the objective of this work was to identify and synthesize published studies that evaluated the antiparasitic effects of extracts and isolated compounds from Schinus terebinthifolius with therapeutic potential. To achieve this objective, a secondary literature review was conducted, developed from primary research and based on comprehensive search strategies in multiple databases, with clearly defined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The systematic search included original studies published in full text in the Web of Science, MEDLINE/PubMed, ScienceDirect, LILACS, SciELO, Cochrane, and Embase databases, encompassing publications available up to November 29, 2025. Of the 841 records initially identified, only 11 met the eligibility criteria. These studies, published between 2007 and 2025, are mainly concentrated in Brazil, responsible for 10 studies, while El Salvador contributed with 1 study. It was observed that most investigations used crude extracts, and the most studied plant part was the leaves, mentioned in 8 studies, followed by the fruits, evaluated in 3 studies, and 1 study evaluating the flowers and stem bark. Regarding experimental designs, in vitro assays predominated, with only one in vivo study. The most investigated parasites were Trypanosoma cruzi in 7 studies, Leishmania spp. In 5 studies, Plasmodium falciparum was detected, and in 2 studies, Plasmodium falciparum was detected. Generally, the authors attribute the observed antiparasitic activity to the presence of bioactive compounds characteristic of the Brazilian peppertree, such as terpenes, flavonoids, tannins, phenolic acids, and triterpenes. Despite the promising results, the current data set is still insufficient to support prospects for advancing to clinical trials, highlighting the need for more robust and standardized studies.