Evaluations of the quality of “pata-de-vaca” (Bauhinia forficata Link) sold in Brazil

Ano: 2019 | Volume: 11 | Número: 3

Autores: Rodrigues, J. C., Santiago Brilhante de Albuquerque, E., Macêdo Vieira, A. C. de

Palavras-chave: Fabaceae, herbal drugs, medicinal plants, medicinal tea, quality control, traditional herbal medicinal product.

Resumo Inglês:

Thegenus Bauhinia L. (Leguminosae), popularly known as “pata-de-vaca”, presents wide diversity in Brazil and comprises both native and exotic species. The species is most widely known in popular medicine is the Bauhinia forficata Link, it ́s also called “true pata-de-vaca”, and it con-sists of a small tree whose leaves are used in the form of infusions to treat diabetes. Since the genus Bauhinia has characteristic bilobed leaves, traditional phytotherapeutic products that should be com-posed of B. forficata leaves are often falsified by replacing them with other species of the genus. We acquired samples of 10 different commercial packages of “pata-de-vaca” being sold as herbal drugs in various regions of Brazil and analyzed them in terms of their macro and microscopic composition. For comparison, we conducted a morpho-anatomical study of the leaves from the standard species and analyzed the scientific literature. The packages themselves and the labels were evaluated based on ANVISA health authority standards. Almost all leaf samples had anatomical characters different from the standard leaf, indicating they were not authentic. In addition, all of the packages contained contaminants. Thus, all samples were rejected based on the criteria above. These types of products, in addition to misinformed consumers, can present considerable risks to their health.