Amburana cearensis (Allemão) ACSm. belongs to the Fabaceae family and occurs in the Brazilian semiarid, Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia, and Peru. Numerous studies that portray its ethnobotany, use in popular medicine, chemical composition, and biological activities exist in the literature. This review aimed to provide an overview of the chemical composition, ethnopharmacology, and biological activities associated with A. cearensis and its isolated constituents. Information was collected from internet searches in the Scopus, Medline, PubMed, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect databases were performed covering publications from 1997-2020. An ethnopharmacological literature analysis revealed that A. cearensis is used to treat a wide range of respiratory disorders in addition to intestinal, circulatory, and inflammatory problems. Coumarins, flavonoids, phenolic glycosides, phenolic acids, phenylpropanoid derivatives, and triterpenoids, among others, have been reported as active compounds, with High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) being the main analytical technique used. The A. cearensis extracts and compounds presented several biological activities, including antimicrobial, antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, neuroprotective, and myorelaxant activities, among others. This review provides a useful bibliography for future investigations and A. cearensis applications; however, future studies should focus on its toxic effects and the mechanisms of action of its extracts and isolated constituents to guide clinical applications.
Keywords: Amburana cearensis; coumarins; ethnopharmacology; pharmacology; phytochemistry.