Wound healing, hyperpigmentant and antitumor activity of Pyrostegia venusta

Pyrostegia venusta (Ker Gawl.) Miers is a plant species of the family Bignoniaceae, which is originally endemic to Brazil. It is presently a well-known garden species. It is cultivated on account of its outstanding ornamental features and on its important therapeutic properties. It has been commonly used in the traditional Brazilian medicine as a general tonic, treating many diseases such as skin diseases. Ethnomedicinal research has recently been recognized to investigate bioactive plant components in modern scientific lines of phytochemical analysis, pharmacological screening and clinical trials. This study reviews the published literature on wound healing, hyperpigmentant and antitumor activity of P. venusta which has folklore tradition of medicinal uses. Therefore, the present review could constitute a good basis for further investigation in the potential therapeutic effects of P. venusta which could provide useful information for future research.