Phytochemical and pharmacological aspects of the genus Chamaecrista: a systematic review

The genus Chamaecrista, belonging to the family Fabaceae, is mainly distributed in the American continent and is of great interest because of its extensive use in traditional medicine. This article presents a systematic review of the pharmacological and chemical properties of the Chamaecrista. Articles published between 2004 and 2023 were grouped through searches in the following databases: PubMed, SciELO, Scopus, Science Direct, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Articles were included based on the selection and classification of titles and abstracts if they indicated the country of origin of the studies, plant species studied, compounds identified, and associated pharmacological activities. The results showed that most of the studies conducted in Brazil represented 35% of the published works. Moreover, Chamaecrista nictitans and Chamaecrista duckeana have been the most studied for their pharmacological potential, especially for their antioxidant activity. In addition, flavonoids were the leading group described, obtained from different extracts of various parts of the plant, with leaves being the most utilized. Despite promising advances in understanding the chemical composition and pharmacological properties of the genus Chamaecrista, this review highlights that no preclinical in vivo and clinical studies have been reported. This study underscores the importance of continuing research to identify and isolate new bioactive molecules from this genus, aiming to elucidate their pharmacological functions and potential therapeutic applications.