Ethnobotanical Uses and Potential Pharmaceutical Applications of the Cactaceae Family

TORRES, CAROLA ANALÍA; PÉREZ ZAMORA, CRISTINA MARISEL; NUÑEZ, MARÍA BEATRIZ; GONZALEZ, ANA MARÍA

Ethnobotany From the Traditional to Ethnopharmacology

CRC Press Taylor Francis Group

Año: 2023; p. 62 - 99

The large family Cactaceae is a diverse group of succulent specimens comprising approximately 90 genera and more than 2000 species. These plants are native to the Americas. Their distribution is not limited to arid and semi-arid regions and several species are found in cold climate zones from Patagonia to Alaska. People consider them to be very beneficial as they are mainly used as food products (especially their fruits) and medicinal products. They are also employed as ornamentals. This chapter compiles the main species of this family that are used in folk medicine in different parts of the American continent (including North America, Central America and South America) and summarizes the current state of knowledge on their chemical composition and principal biological effects.