Pharmacological activities of the phenolic constituents from anacardium occidentale (Anacardiaceae): A review

Abstract

The phenolic compounds present in cashew nut shell liquid (Anacardium occidentale L.– Anacardiaceae) present several pharmacological activities that justify the high number of research studies using these compounds. Among these molecules, we can highlight the phenolic constituents such as anacardic acid, cardanol, and cardol. This review aimed to investigate the pharmacological activities of anacardic acids, cardol, and cardanol described in scientific studies published in the literature. The PRISMA methodology was used to perform the bibliographic search applied to the LILACS, PubMed®, Scielo ®, Sci Finder®, and Science Direct databases, without language or region restrictions, considering articles published between the years 2014 and 2023. The results recovered 52 articles eligible for this review after applying the exclusion and selection criteria. 2 types of pharmacological activities were described, especially: Antioxidant, antiin flammatory, antibacterial, cytotoxic, and antiparasitic activity. Most of the studies involved in vitro (20) and in vivo (18) pharmacological evaluation methods. The phenolic compounds of A. occidentale presented a great pharmacological potential to be explored. The use of in silico pharmacology can additionally help in the description of physical-chemical, pharmacokinetic, and pharmacodynamic, enabling the exploration of pharmacological potential.