Pharmacognosy of the specie Erythrina falcata Benth., Fabaceae

Abstract

Erythrina falcata Benth., Fabaceae, popularly known in Brazil by the mulungu names, shoe-of-jew, corkgive-mountain, muchoco, is used by the population as suitable medicinal plant as sedative and anxiolytic. It is also used against diseases of the breathing apparel. Its indiscriminate use, however, can bring serious consequences to the health, due to strong presence of alkaloids, particularly in the seeds and in the peel. The present work focuses phytochemical studies for identification of the main groups of existent substances in the species, besides morphologic and histological studies for differentiation among other species of the gender.