Exploring the Phytochemical and Pharmacological Potential of Calophyllum brasiliense Cambess

Calophyllum brasiliense Cambess (Clusiaseae) is a species that is used in the timber industry with applications in reforestation and soil recovery, in addition to its potential use in folk medicine. C. brasiliense is an evergreen tree species native to the tropical rainforest that grows from Brazil to Mexico. C. brasiliense is an alternative source in traditional medicine to make anti-inflammatory patches, remedies to treat various diseases such as gastrointestinal, diabetes and skin diseases. C. brasiliense biosynthesizes calanolides and inophyllum compounds that can inhibit human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) reverse transcriptase. It is worth noting the compound (+)-calanolide A, which is a drug of natural origin approved by the FDA for the treatment of HIV/AIDS. C. brasiliense produces other compounds such as coumarins, chromanones, xanthones, and mammea-type triterpenes, which showed antitumor, antiparasitic, antibacterial, and antispasmodic activity. C. brasiliense produces secondary metabolites that are found in very low concentrations (<1%), which is a disadvantage. To increase the production of high-value phytochemicals such as calanolides, it is necessary to explore efficient methods and the use of biotechnological tools such as plant cell cultures for the efficient production of phytochemicals in a sustainable manner. The objective of this review is to provide essential information on C. brasiliense, its traditional uses, and its phytochemical constituents.