Environ Monit Assess (2010) 164:369377

DOI 10.1007/s10661-009-0899-4

Influence of Brazilian herbal regulations on the use

and conservation of native medicinal plants
Maria G. L. Brando Gustavo P. Cosenza
Accia M. Stanislau Geraldo W. Fernandes

Received: 21 September 2008 / Accepted: 13 March 2009 / Published online: 8 April 2009
Springer Science + Business Media B.V. 2009

Abstract For decades, several native medicinal

species have been used by the pharmaceutical
industry in Brazil to create commercial products.
In 1995, the Ministry of Health, following the recommendations of the World Health Organization,
established herbal regulations (RDC 17) in order
to improve the quality of such products. In fact,
only plant species with conclusive results from
pharmacological and toxicological studies can be
used for creating medicines. In this study, we evaluated the consequences of RDC 17 on the use and
conservation of native medicinal plants by comparing the plant material used by six companies in
1995/1996 and 10 years later (2005/2006). Eightythree different species were used in 1995/1996, 50

of them native (60.2%), 16 exotic (19.3%), and 17

imported (20.5%). In 2005/2006, 44 species were
used by the companies and only 19 (43.2%) were
native. The category of plant material that saw the
largest decrease in use was roots, and in 2005/2006
leaves were more used. The study shows a strong
reduction in the collection of native species signalizing the importance of herbal regulations on
their conservation. It also points to the need for
pharmacological and toxicological studies of the
Brazilian native medicinal flora, as well as studies
on their ecology and conservation.

M. G. L. Brando (B)
DATAPLAMTMuseu de Histria Natural e Jardim
Botnico, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais,
31270-901 Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
e-mail: mbrandao@ufmg.br

Introduction

M. G. L. Brando G. P. Cosenza A. M. Stanislau

Laboratrio de Farmacognosia,
Faculdade de Farmcia, Universidade Federal de
Minas Gerais, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte,
Minas Gerais, Brazil
G. W. Fernandes
Departamento de Ecologia Evolutiva &
Biodiversidade, Instituto de Cincias Biolgicas,
Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais,
31270-901 Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Keywords Brazilian medicinal plants

Herbal regulation Conservation

Owing to an astonishing mega-diversity, the

Brazilian flora represents one of the worlds richest sources of material for pharmacological use.
Historical records demonstrate that Amerindians
already used native species such as avocado
(Persea americana), wild potatoes (Ipomoea
batatas), mate (Ilex paraguaryensis), and cacao
(Theobroma cacao) thousand of years before the
invasion of the continent by Europeans (Wolters
1992). Despite the wide flora and current intellectual development, Latin American countries,
including Brazil, are involved in the international

370

pharmaceutical market only as suppliers of raw

botanical material. Pilocarpine from the leaves of
Jaborandi (Pilocarpus species, Rutaceae), alphabisabolol, taken from candeia wood (Eremanthus
erythropappus (DC.) MacLeish, Asteraceae), or
rutine, obtained from favela fruits (Dimorphandra mollis Benth., Fabaceae), are examples of
natural compounds obtained from Brazilian native plants that are almost exclusively used by
international pharmaceutical corporations (www.
chinachemnet.com, www.merck.com).
Currently, medicinal plants are widely used
as home remedies by both rural and urban inhabitants of Brazil, a consequence of the high
cost of industrialized medicine. However, the intense mixture of cultures (Native, African, and
European) during the last several centuries has
led to a progressive substitution from native medicinal plants to other species from elsewhere in
Latin America (Dean 1996). The accelerating destruction of Brazils botanically rich native ecosystems has also contributed to a gradual loss of
knowledge about native plants used in traditional
medicine, including those found in areas of the
Atlantic Forest and the Amazon where accelerated occupation takes place (Amorozo 2002;
Begossi et al. 2002; Brando et al. 2004; Di Stasi
and Hiruma-Lima 2002; Shanley and Luz 2003;
Shanley and Rosa 2005). The negative perspective
on conservation of native species in some places
of Brazil highlights the urgent need to recover
information on uses of native plant species and to
promote studies on their ecology and conservation
(Giulietti et al. 2005; Michalski et al. 2008).
For decades, several native medicinal species
have been used by pharmaceutical companies in
Brazil to create commercial products. These companies are represented by small laboratories that
evaluate their products on the basis of traditional
formulas (Ferreira 1998; Fernandes 2004). However, very often, the efficacy and safety of these
products are not measured and they might not
meet the minimal standard, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations for products
for traditional use (WHO 1993, 1998). In 1995, the
Ministry of Health, following the recommendations of World Health Organization, established
herbal regulations (RDC 17) in order to improve
the quality of commercial herbal products. Ac-

Environ Monit Assess (2010) 164:369377

cording to these rules, the complete acceptance

of an herbal medicine by Brazilian governmental
agencies can occur only after the efficacy and
safety of the product has been scientifically determined (Carvalho et al. 2008; Calixto 2000; Rates
2001). Some effort has been made by the companies to develop standardized phytomedicines
from native species with proof of quality, safety,
and efficacy, but only a few examples of success
can be mentioned. Acheflan is produced with
an essential oil obtained from Cordia verbenaceae,
a native species used in traditional medicine to
treat inflammations (Calixto 2005). In the present
study, we present a list of Brazilian native medicinal plants used by certain pharmaceutical companies of Minas Gerais to make the traditional
commercial formulas in 1995/1996 and 10 years
after the publication of RDC 17 and discuss the
influence of these herbal regulations on the use
and conservation of native medicinal plants.

Materials and methods

This study was performed through a comparison
of the native medicinal plants used by six pharmaceutical companies of Minas Gerais in 1995/1996
and 10 years after the establishment of the first
Brazilian herbal regulation, RDC 17 (Brasil 1995).
We studied the plants used by Indstria Farmacutica Catedral, Laboratrio Belm Jardim, Laboratrio Rodomonte, Laboratrio Globo, Copo
Medicinal Indstria, and Comrcio and Laboratrio Magaraz, located in the Southwest State
of Minas Gerais. Data about the plants currently
used in other parts of Brazil were verified on
the website of the Brazilian Regulatory Agency,
ANVISA (www.anvisa.gov.br).
After the identification of the botanical materials, the species were divided into three different
groups based on their distribution and use: species
originally found in the Americas were termed native species, those that have their origin in other
parts of the world were termed exotic species,
and species imported directly to extract the active
principals were termed imported species. The
numbers of species used during the two periods
in each category are listed in Table 1. Names of
the species used, parts used in the preparation

Environ Monit Assess (2010) 164:369377

371

Table 1 Number (%) of species used by the pharmaceutical companies in Minas Gerais in the two studied periods
Origin

1995/1996

2005/2006

Native
Exotic
Imported
Total

50 (60.2)
16 (19.3)
17 (20.5)
83 (100)

19 (43.2)
12 (27.3)
13 (29.5)
44 (100)

of the remedies, and the number of companies

that have products prepared with that species are
given in Table 2. Table 3 shows the quantities of

the different plant organs used in 1995/1996 and

10 years later, in 2005/2006.

Plants used in 19951996

Data about the plants used in 1995/1996 as well
as botanical material used in the preparation of
the commercial products were furnished by the
companies. They provided the popular and scientific names, botanical families, parts of the plant

Table 2 Native medicinal plants and number of pharmaceutical companies which used them in 1995/1996 and 2005/2006
(n = 6) in Minas Gerais and in others parts of Brazil in 2008 (n = 22)
Family/species
Alismataceae
Echinodorus macrophyllus (Kunth) Michelia,b
Anacardiaceae
Anacardium occidentale L.a,b,c
Apocynaceae
Geissospermum laeve (Vell.) Miersa,c
Macrosiphonia velame (A.St-Hil.) Mll.Arg.c
Plumeria lancifolia Mll. Argoviensisa
Asteraceae
Baccharis trimera (Less.) DCa,b,c,d
Lychnophora sp. Mart.c
Mikania glomerata Sprengela,b,d,e
Mikania hirsutissima DC.a,b
Vernonia polyanthes Less.b,c
Bignoniaceae
Anemopaegma mirandum (Cham.) Mart.exDCa,b
Jacaranda caroba (Vell.) DC.a,c
Tabebuia avellanedae Lorentz ex Griseb.b
Tynnanthus fasciculatus (Vell.) Miersa,b
Celastraceae
Maytenus ilicifolia (Schrad.) Planch.b,d,e
Convolvulaceae
Operculina macrocarpa L.a
Cucurbitaceae
Cayaponia sp.a,b,c
Euphorbiaceae
Phyllanthus niruri L./Phyllanthus tenellus Roxb.d
Fabaceae
Bauhinia forficata Linkc
Bowdichia virgilioides Kuntha,c
Copaifera sp. L.a,c
Erythrina mulungu Martius ex Benth.a,b,c,d
Hymenaea courbaril L.b,c
Senna occidentalis (L.) Linka,c
Lauraceae
Ocotea sassafras (Meisn.) Meza
Persea sp.a

Popular names

Parts

Minas Gerais
1995/1996 2005/2006

Brazil
Sep 2008

Chapu de Couro

Lvs

Cajueiro

Bark

Pau Pereira
Velame do campo
Agoniada

Bark
Lvs
Bark

5
5
5

0
0
0

0
0
1

Carqueja amarga
Arnica da Serra
Guaco
Cip Cabeludo
Assa Peixe

Wpl
Aerial
Lvs
Lvs
Lvs

4
3
3
5
3

4
0
5
0
0

0
0
8
0
0

Catuaba/Catuiba
Caroba/Carobinha/
Ip Roxo
Cip Cravo

Rtz
Lvs
Bark
Stm

5
5
4
5

3
3
0
0

0
0
0
0

Espinheira Santa

Lvs

Jalapa do Brasil

Rts

Taiui

Rts

Quebra-Pedra

Wpl

Pata de Vaca
Sucupira
Copaba
Mulungu
Jatob
Fedegoso

Lvs
Sed
Balsam
Bark
Fruits
Rts

5
5
0
4
2
4

0
0
3
2
0
0

0
0
0
2
1
0

Canela Sassafrs
Abacateiro

Bark
Lvs

2
6

0
3

0
1

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Environ Monit Assess (2010) 164:369377

Table 2 (continued)
Family/species

Popular names

Parts

Minas Gerais
1995/1996 2005/2006

Lecythidaceae
Cariniana brasiliensis Casarettoa
Jequitib
Bark 3
0
Liliaceae
Herreria salsaparilha Mart.c
Salsaparrilha
Rts
5
0
Malvaceae
Algodoeiro
Lvs
5
0
Gossypium herbaceum L.a,c
Menispermaceae
Chondodendron platyphylla (A.St-Hil.)Miersa,b,c
Abtua
Bark 5
2
Mimosaceae
Anadenanthera colubrina (Vell.) Brenan
Angico
Lvs
6
0
Stryphnodendron adstringens (Mart.) Covillea,c,d
Barbatimo
Bark 6
0
Monimiaceae
Siparuna apiosyce (Mart. ex Tul.) DC.a
Limoeiro Bravo
Lvs
2
0
Moraceae
Brosimum gaudichaudii Trculc
Mamacadela
Rts
5
0
Myrtaceae
Stenocalyx pitanga O. Berg
Pitanga
Lvs
3
0
Olacaceae
Ptychopetalum olacoides Bent.a,b
Muirapuama
Rts
5
0
Passifloraceae
Passiflora sp.a,b,c,e
Maracuj
Lvs
6
5
Piperaceae
Pothomorphe umbellata (L.) Miq.a,b,c
Pariparoba/Caapeba Rts
5
2
Polygonaceae
Polygonum hydropiperoides Michxc
Erva de Bicho
Rts
6
3
Rubiaceae
Psychotria ipecacuanha (Brot.) Stokes;
Ipecacuanha
Rts
6
1
Psychotria acuminata Benth.a,b,c,d
Remijia ferruginea (A.St-Hil) DC.a,c
Quina Mineira
Bark 4
4
Rudgea viburnoides (Cham.) Benth.
Congonha
Lvs
5
0
Rutaceae
Pilocarpus jaborandi Holmes; Pilocarpus microphyllus Jaborandi
Lvs
6
5
Stapf ex Wardl.a,b,d
Sapindaceae
Paullinia cupana Kuntha,b,d,e
Guaran
Sed
5
5
Simaroubaceae
Picrasma sp.a
Qussia
Bark 2
2
Simaruba sp.a,c
Simaruba
Bark 3
0
Smilacaceae
Smilax japicanga Griseb.a,b,c
Japecanga
Rts
3
3
Solanaceae
Solanum paniculatum L.a,b
Jurubeba
Rts
6
4
Sterculiaceae
Waltheria douradinha St-Hila,c
Douradinha
Lvs
4
0
Violaceae
Anchietea salutaris A. St-Hil.a,b,c
Cip Suma
Rts
5
0
a Species described in the Brazilian Official Pharmacopoeia first edition
b Species in products commercialized in pharmacies of Recife (Melo et al. 2008)
c Species mentioned by naturalists in Minas Gerais in the nineteenth century (Brando et al. 2008a, b)
d Species described in the Brazilian Official Pharmacopoeia fourth edition
e Species included in RDC 48 (2004)

Brazil
Sep 2008
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
10
0
2
1
1
0
0

3
0
0
0
1
0
0

Environ Monit Assess (2010) 164:369377

373

Table 3 Approximate quantities of different plant parts

of native species used by the companies in 1995/1996 and
2005/2006 (100 kg approximately)
Parts
Balsam
Fruits
Leaves
Roots
Seeds
Whole plant
Wood

1995/1996
0
5
51
67
5
5
39

2005/2006
3
0
26
16
5
4
12

used for preparation of products, and the name

and address of each supplier. Species identification was complemented by a set of pharmaceutical
analyses of identity used in the quality control
of herbal drugs and recommended by Pharmacopoeias (FBRAS) and WHO (1998). They are
based on botanical (organoleptic, macroscopic,
and microscopic) and chemical characterization (chromatographic methods; Brando 1996).
Botanical characterization was complemented by
a specific bibliography on the analysis of the herbal drug (Gilg et al. 1942; Youngken 1943; Golse
1955; Casamada 1977; Deutschmann et al. 1984;
Eschricher 1988; Langhammer 1989; Oliveira
et al. 1991) as well as a chemical characterization
(Wagner and Bladt 1996). The achieved results
were also compared with standard plant species
from a databank of herbal materials of the Federal
University of Minas Gerais (DATAPLAMT). In
DATAPLAMT, it is possible to find detailed morphological, anatomical, and chemical descriptions
of several medicinal species, as well as standard
samples of the plants, which can be used to identify other samples (www.dataplamt.org.br). These
analyses were important because in 1995/1996 the
correct identification of plant materials was not
required of the companies and the substitution of
plants for other species, as well as the adulteration
of the products, was frequent.
The botanical samples were composed of dried
seeds, flowers, fruits, leaves, roots, and rhizomes in different forms (cut, broken, or pulverized). Many samples such as pulverized seeds of
Paullinia cupana, aerial parts of Baccharis trimera,
or leaves of Mikania hirsutissima were very easy
to identify by the mentioned methods since they
have their own morphological and chemical char-

acteristics. On the other hand, species of Passiflora, Cayaponia, Simaruba, or Picrasma were
impossible to identify because their botanical and
chemical profiles are very similar. There is no
doubt of the importance of voucher herbarium
samples for the correct identification of botanical
materials. However, collecting usable herbarium
samples in commerce or industry is very difficult
since in almost all cases the vendors are not the
collectors of the plants (Albuquerque et al. 2007;
Melo et al. 2008). The performed pharmaceutical
analyses were very helpful for the identification
of the plant material. However, the possibility of
an inaccurate identification of the species must be
considered since it can introduce bias in our work.
Plants used in 2005/2006
Data about the species used in this period were
obtained directly from the companies or their
websites. Species identification was based only on
the scientific names of the plants furnished by
the companies or found on the internet since in
2005/2006 the correct identification of the plants
was a requirement of ANVISA.

Results
A total of 226 samples of botanical material were
analyzed in 1995/1996 and 172 (76.1%) were identified by the botanical and chemical methods.
Fifty-four samples do not correspond to any descriptions or similarity in both the bibliography
and standard samples and were excluded from
the study. The six laboratories used 83 different
plant species for preparing their commercial products, 50 of them (60.2%) native of America, 16
(19.3%) exotic, and 17 (20.5%) imported species.
The number of species used in 2005/2006 was
drastically reduced to 44 and only 19 (43.2%) are
native to Brazil, as shown in Table 1. Despite the
reduction in the number of exotic species used
in 2005/2006 (12 species) compared to 1995/1996
(16 species), the proportion increased from 19.3%
in 1995/1996 to 27.3% in 2005/2006. The same
trend was observed with the imported species
that the number of species used decreased from

374

1995/1996 to 2005/2006 while the proportion increased (Table 1).

Table 2 shows the families, scientific and
popular names, and parts used of 83 species
and the number of companies that used these
species during the two studied periods. The most
frequently used species in 1995/1996 were
Anadenanthera colubrina (Vell.) Brenan and
Stryphnodendron adstringens (Mart.) Coville
(Mimosaceae), Persea sp. (Lauraceae), Passiflora
sp. (Passifloraceae), Polygonum hydropiperoides
Michx (Polygonaceae), Psychotria ipecacuanha
(Brot.) Stokes and P. acuminata Benth.
(Rubiaceae), Pilocarpus sp. (Rutaceae), and
Solanum paniculatum L. (Solanaceae), being
used by all six companies. In 2005/2006, fewer
companies used these plants and none of
them used A. colubrina (Vell.) Brenan and S.
adstringens (Mart.) Coville (Mimosaceae) in
their products. There were 21 other species that
were used by five companies in 1995/1996, but
from these only five (Anemopaegma mirandum
(Cham.) Mart. ex DC and Jacaranda caroba
(Vell.) DC., Chondodendron platyphylla (A.StHil.) Miers, Pothomorphe umbellata (L.) Miq.,
and P. cupana Kunth) were still in use in
2005/2006.
Thirty-eight species used in 1995/1996 were described in the first edition of FBRAS as being important in conventional medicine (Brando et al.
2006, 2008a). Twenty-eight others were also mentioned by European naturalists in the nineteenth
century (Brando et al. 2008b) showing their long
tradition of use as confirmed by the historical
record. In 2005/2006, most of these species were
no longer used by the companies. On the other
hand, products from six exotic and five imported
species began to be made. Copaiba Balsam was
the only native plant used in the production of
new products. The number of exotic and imported
species used in 2005/2006 by companies in other
parts of Brazil is also higher than the number of
native species used.
Table 3 shows that 14 suppliers of different
Brazilian states (Minas Gerais = 4, So Paulo =
9, Rio de Janeiro = 2, Paran = 1, Bahia = 1,
Amazonas = 1) supplied the plants in 1995/1996.
The four suppliers of Minas Gerais were

Environ Monit Assess (2010) 164:369377

raizeiros, people that collect wild plants commercialized for use directly by the companies.
Several organs of the plants were used both in
1995/1996 and 2005/2006. The highest drop in use
of plant organs in 1995/1996 was for roots (13
different species) while in 2005/2006 it was leaves
(11 species). The quantity of roots used in 1996
was approximately 6,700 kg, while in 2005/2006 it
was reduced to approximately one fourth of that
(Table 3). In the same period, the use of wood
fell by two thirds, from approximately 3,900 to
1,200 kg. The quantity of leaves used has also
suffered, seeing a reduction of 50% falling from
approximately 5,100 kg in 1995/1996 to 2,600 kg
in 2005/2006.

Discussion and conclusion

The Traditional Medicine Division of WHO
recognizes the therapeutic potential of traditional
plant remedies and recommends that their efficacies be evaluated through pharmacological and
toxicological studies (WHO 2002). Traditional
formulas prepared with Brazilian native medicinal
plants were widely used by local pharmaceutical
companies in commercial products (Ferreira 1998;
Fernandes 2004). In 1995, the Brazilian Health
Ministry established herbal regulations (RDC 17)
in order to improve the quality of such products
(Brasil 1995). In this study, we observed a strong
reduction in the use of the native medicinal plants
by the pharmaceutical companies since the establishment of RDC 17. In 1995/1996, 83 plant
species, 50 of them native (60.2%), were used
by certain pharmaceutical companies of Minas
Gerais. This is a significant number since it was
thought that, in the 1990s, in all of Brazil, the companies used approximately 90 different species
(Calixto 2000; Rates 2001). It can be pointed out
that this high number of species is a consequence
of cultural and geographic aspects of Minas Gerais
which is still rich in cultural aspects correlated
with medicinal plants. In 2005/2006, only 44 plant
species, 19 of them native (43.2%), were used by
the companies, showing a strong reduction in the
preparation of herbal medicines.

Environ Monit Assess (2010) 164:369377

The traditional use of many species used in

1995/1996 was already described by European naturalists in the nineteenth century (Table 2) and
they must be regarded as a priority for pharmacological studies, as they have long tradition of
use confirmed by the historical record (Brando
et al. 2008b). Species such as J. caroba (Vell.)
DC., P. umbellata (L.) Miq.,P. hydropiperoides
Michx, Remijia ferruginea (A.St-Hil) DC., or Smilax japicanga Griseb., for example, despite being
used by companies in 2005/2006, will soon be
removed from the market because they do not
have enough results to demonstrate their efficacy
and safety and cannot be approved by ANVISA.
The same will happen to the 78 species recently
listed by Melo et al. (2008) used in pharmaceutical products sold in pharmacies of Recife, a city
situated in northwest of Brazil. From the listed
species, 23 were used by the companies of Minas
Gerais in 1995/1996 but only five (Mikania glomerata Sprengel, J. caroba (Vell.) DC., Erythrina
mulungu Martius ex Benth., Passiflora sp.,andP.
cupana Kunth) are registered with the Regulatory
Agency (ANVISA). This fact highlights a disturbing situation, where foreign chemical pharmaceutical companies that produce medicines with
species from their own country will be favored
in the market while the national industry will be
forced to start producing medicines with exotic or
imported species. We argue that the native plant
species already used by the national industry and
that were listed in the first edition of Brazilian
Pharmacopoeia must be submitted urgently to
pharmacological and toxicological studies and reconsidered by the Brazilian Health Ministry. If the
trend for the use of exotic and imported species in
the formulation of new medicines persists, we will
lose traditional and scientific information on the
pharmaceutical properties of many native species.
Therefore, we suggest that a strong debate by the
scientific public and policy makers should take
place in an attempt to improve and facilitate the
pharmacological study of the native flora.
It is clear that there is not enough knowledge,
both among the population and within the scientific community, of the pharmacological properties of the Brazilian native plant species. In fact,
a much wider and diverse use of medicinal herbs

375

should be encouraged with the immense richness

of Brazilian flora. Some effort has been made by
the companies towards the development of standardized phytomedicines with native species, with
proof of quality, safety, and efficacy. One trend
observed in our study is a clear substitution from
the use of native species to exotic and imported
species. The species Foeniculum vulgaris, Panax
ginseng, Matricharia recutita, Ginkgo biloba,
Hypericum perforatum, Melissa officinalis, Aloe
barbadensis, Valeriana officinalis, and Zingiber officinalis, for example, were not used in 1995/1996
while in 2005/2006 the six companies have products made from them. The recent use of these and
21 other exotic and imported species by Brazilian
pharmaceutical companies is a consequence of
recent herbal regulations (RDC 48) which recommend the preparation of medicine with the species
because several studies confirms their efficacy and
safety (Brasil 2004a). Only four native species
are recommended by RDC 48: Maytenus ilicifolia
(Schrad.) Planch, M. glomerata Sprengel, Passiflora species, and P. cupana Kunth (Brasil 2004b).
The influence of RDC 48 on the production of
medicine with these plants can be clearly observed
in Table 2, which shows that several companies
currently use these plants to prepare medicine.
Thirty-eight species used in 1995/1996 were described in the first edition of FBRAS, published
in 1929, showing their importance also in conventional medicine of the past (Brando et al. 2006,
2008a). However, only nine have monographs in
the fourth edition of FBRAS, published in 2004:
B. trimera (Less.) DC, M. glomerata Sprengel,
M. ilicifolia (Schrad.) Planch, Phyllanthus niruri
L., Phyllanthus tenellus Roxb,E. mulungu Martius ex Benth, S. adstringens (Mart.) Coville, P.
ipecacuanha (Brot.) Stokes, P. acuminata Benth,
Pilocarpus jaborandi Holmes, Pilocarpus microphyllus Stapf ex Wardl., and P. cupana Kunth.
The inclusion of a monograph for a species in the
recent editions of FBRAS stimulates its use in
the production of medicine, as shown in Table 2.
This situation points out the urgent necessity
of ecological and conservation studies for these
species since the bulk of plants traded in Brazil
is harvested from wild populations which results
in numerous local extinctions. Only P. cupana

376

Kunth is cultivated in the north of the country and the Psychotria and Pilocarpus species
are already considered threatened by extinction
(IBAMA 2005/2006; Silva et al. 2001).
There is a preoccupying risk that this expansion
of the herbal market poses a threat to biodiversity through overharvesting of the raw materials (Botha et al. 2004; Huang et al. 2002; WHO
2007; Taylor 2008). In this study, a beneficial
correlation from a conservation perspective was
found between the collection of wild medicinal
plants and plant organs used in the preparation
of the pharmaceutical products since 1995/1996.
The herbal regulations demand that the companies acquire raw material of certified origin
in order to reduce the genetic erosion of many
species. This fact is also important in light of the
fact that, besides Pilocarpus and Psychotria, the
species Lychnophora, Anemopaegma, and Hymenaea are considered threatened by extinction
today (IBAMA 2005/2006; Silva et al. 2001). Today, only two suppliers furnish native species for
the companies in Minas Gerais. The origin of the
plants is not reported by these suppliers raising
the need to evaluate the source of the material.
The reduction in plant use by the companies may
lead to a decrease in the collection pressure on
the plant species. It also reveals how the Brazilian
herbal regulation may have reduced the impact
on the collection of the native medicinal plants,
especially the barks and roots, contributing to the
reduction of the genetic erosion of these species;
although no scientific study was done on this aspect. This does not take into account the collection of plant material that is sold in free markets
throughout the country, as these remain free from
regulation.
Despite being considered a local-level study,
our results provide important data that can complement national and international studies. It
points out how the regulation of herbal medicines
has changed the use of medicinal plants by companies in Brazil. Only species meeting requirements
of efficacy and security proven by pharmacological studies can be used for making pharmaceutical
products and registered as medicine. As a consequence, such rules have contributed to a reduction
in the collection of native plants and can represent
a real strategy for the conservation of wild species.

Environ Monit Assess (2010) 164:369377

The study also points to an urgent need for pharmacological and toxicological studies of the native
medicinal species, as well as studies on the ecology
and their conservation.

Acknowledgements The authors thank Professor Sir

Ghillean Prance for a critical reading of this manuscript;
CMT Souza and RL Vieira for the excellent technical assistance; Companies Catedral, Belm Jardim, Rodomonte,
Globo, Copo Medicinal, and Magaraz for information
and plant materials; FAPEMIG (PPM/ 2007) for research
grants; and CNPq for fellowships (Pq, IC).

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