Musa sapientum L. (banana): potential for drug development

Abstract

Fruits are sources of vitamins, sugars and bioactive compounds associated with reducing the risk of diseases, such as those related to the heart system, gastrointestinal tract, bacterial infections, diabetes, among others. In addition to being widely used in the production of functional foods, in recent years, the pharmaceutical industry has been researching various fruits to be used in the production of medicines. Among the plant species that produce fruits appreciated all over the world, Musa sapientum L., popularly known as banana tree, stands out. The objective of this article was to carry out an integrative review of the scientific literature on the plant species Musa sapientum L. (Musaceae), highlighting its biological properties already demonstrated in pre-clinical tests. The search was carried out in Pubmed, Google Scholar and ScienceDirect databases, using appropriate descriptors and inclusion and exclusion criteria. A total of 735 files were identified, after the screening process, 52 articles were selected and analyzed. The results showed that the fruit of this species has already been extensively studied from the point of view of biological activities, especially antibacterial, antioxidant, antidiabetic, antiinflammatory. The scientific articles analyzed confirm the traditional use of this fruit in the treatment of diseases and that many have already been evaluated through pre-clinical trials. However, no clinical study has ever been conducted with this fruit. Thus, it is concluded that there are numerous proven biological properties for the species M. sapientum, data that can encourage further research, generating more use and elucidating issues that have not yet been clarified for the development of effective and safe drugs.