The participation of natural products in health care has been remarkable, and today they continue to play a key role in the discovery and development of new treatments. Phytochemical studies together with pharmacological tests have managed to integrate bioactive agents as an alternative solution to reduce or regulate the problems caused by diseases. The Eysenhardtia genus is a family of plants that are rich in secondary metabolites, which have shown potential activity in the control and mitigation of urinary disorders, diabetes, oxidative stress, protein glycosylation, microbial infections, inflammation, pain or discomfort, muscle contractions, cytotoxicity, or as a cellular or neuronal signaling modulator. These conditions generally appear in comorbid diseases, which motivated the bibliographic review associated with the plant. This document presents the beneficial actions produced by Eysenhardtia extracts and/or bioactives to inhibit, control, or reduce the complications or discomfort of degenerative diseases and thus generate new therapeutic alternatives.
1. Introduction
The relationship between humanity and medicinal plants goes back to ancient times. The oldest records found correspond to the Sumerians, approximately 5000 years ago [1]. The growth and development of civilizations have been closely linked to the use and exploitation of the healing properties of medicinal plants [2]. The process of recognition and use of herbalism in the preparation of remedies, infusions, or concoctions for the treatment of disease has been carried out by trial and error [3]. There are countries with a long tradition of using herbal medicine such as China, India, Japan, Pakistan, and Mexico. Ethnopharmacological studies have contributed to the amplification of knowledge and the discovery of new drugs or effective bioactive compounds for the control of diseases [4].
Mexico has a history of using ethnomedicine, whose origins go back to pre-Hispanic cultures where archaeological findings have shown its anthropological influence and impact on Mexican culture [5]. One of the plants with antecedents is Eysenhardtia polystachya (EP), dating back to the era of New Spain where Nicolas B. Monardes (1565) relates the use of a tree to treat kidney and urinary diseases; he describes that they drank a blue-colored infusion which was obtained by placing thin slices of a wood (bark) into water for a period of time [6]. Furthermore, in the Florentine Codex, Fray Bernardino de Sahagún refers to the use of “Coatli” for fever or retention of urine [7]. In the following centuries (XVI and XVII), it was taken to Europe where it was known as Lignum nephriticum [8][9]. Later, it continued to be consumed in a traditional way by Mexicans for the control of urinary, contraceptive [10], antidiarrheal, and antiseptic disorders, as well as for the control of diabetes [11][12].
In recent decades, the Eysenhardtia genus has attracted attention due to its medicinal properties. This triggered a series of phytochemical and pharmacological studies linked to the identification of health benefits. Among the actions determined are its diuretic [13], antidiabetic, antiglycation [14], antioxidant [15], anti-inflammatory [16], and antimicrobial [17] potential. It also has cytotoxic properties [8], is cardioprotective, and inhibits neurodegeneration and modulators of cell signaling [15].
2. Conclusions
Currently, there are many diseases linked to factors related to metabolic syndrome. This condition has caused people to develop various health problems and increases their risk of mortality. This has caused a large part of society to live under a constant medication scheme that attempts to regulate the ailments that afflict them, which in turn stimulates the consumption of natural alternatives that have shown to help control symptoms. In this paper, we present the potential of the extracts and/or bioactives of the Eysenhardtia genus to limit the proliferation of microbial infections, urinary disorders, oxidative stress, protein glycation, lipoperoxidation, increase in blood sugar levels, inflammation, or the development of bodily discomfort. Furthermore, the introspection performed made it clear that the composition of phytochemical compounds and their diversity of secondary metabolites could be a complementary solution for individuals affected by comorbidity.
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