SCIENTOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF THE USE OF ANNONA MURICATA AS A HERBAL MEDICINE

Abstract

The search for alternative methods to restore health makes the population resort to the use of medicinal plants. Among the wide variety of plants with therapeutic potential used in Brazil, Annona muricata (graviola) highligth for its various indications for use. This study aimed to quantify the scientific production about the use of Annona muricata as medicinal plant, published on Google Scholar from 2000 to 2021. This work is a qualitative scientometric analysis, in which 298 articles were analyzed, and of which 155 were described with some therapeutic effect of Annona muricata, 82 showed popular knowledge, and 15 described the chemical compounds of soursop. The indication description for therapeutic use of this plant was found in 31 publications, of which most described their use for cancer treatment. We conclude that further studies for the use of Annona muricata for therapeutic proposes is essential, in order to standardize a safe dose for consumption in future disease treatments.