Propriedades fitoterápicas do crajiru/pariri (Arrabidaea chica/Fridericia chica): revisão de literatura

This study addressed infections caused by drug-resistant pathogens and the relevance of medicinal plants within Brazil’s Unified Health System (Sistema Único de Saúde, SUS), focusing on Fridericia chica (Arrabidaea chica), commonly known as crajiru. The aim was to synthesize the scientific evidence regarding the biological properties and therapeutic potential of this plant species. An exploratory and descriptive literature review with a qualitative approach was conducted. Searches were performed in the SciELO, PubMed, ResearchGate, and Google Scholar databases, resulting in the selection of seventeen publications published between 2020 and 2026. The leaves were the most extensively investigated plant part, with flavonoids identified as the predominant compounds, particularly the anthocyanins carajurin and carajurone. The analyzed extracts exhibited a broad range of antioxidant, wound-healing, anti-inflammatory, cholesterol-lowering, and photoprotective activities. Cardioprotective effects against doxorubicin-induced damage were identified, along with the potential enhancement of antineoplastic activity and cytotoxic effects against tumor cell lines. Antimicrobial efficacy was notable against Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterococcus faecalis, Aeromonas spp., and fungi, varying according to the solvents and extraction methods employed. However, aqueous extracts showed no efficacy against Staphylococcus aureus. Low acute and subchronic toxicity was observed in the evaluated models. It was concluded that crajiru has scientific evidence supporting its traditional medicinal uses, establishing it as a promising herbal medicine for Primary Health Care.