Spondias tuberosa Arruda (Umbu, Anacardiaceae): from an underutilized food resource to health-promoting and sustainable applications
Abstract
Spondias tuberosa Arruda (umbu tree) is a fruit-bearing species endemic to the semi-arid region of northeastern Brazil and has long been used in traditional medicine to manage gastrointestinal, respiratory, inflammatory, and dermatological disorders. In recent years, increasing scientific interest has focused on its phytochemical composition and potential therapeutic applications, highlighting the need for a comprehensive synthesis of the available evidence. This review provides an updated overview of the phytochemical profile of S. tuberosa, with emphasis on its major bioactive constituents and reported pharmacological properties. A literature search was conducted using major scientific databases to identify relevant studies, including both in vitro and in vivo investigations. Phytochemical analyses reveal the presence of diverse secondary metabolites, particularly phenolic acids, flavonoids, tannins, carotenoids, and terpenoids. Preclinical studies indicate that extracts and isolated compounds from S. tuberosa exhibit a broad spectrum of biological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, antimicrobial, antiviral, and antiproliferative effects in experimental models. Despite these promising findings, current evidence remains largely limited to in vitro and animal studies. Therefore, further research is required to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms, standardize extracts, and conduct well-designed clinical trials to confirm safety, efficacy, and translational potential. Overall, S.
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BibTeX
@article{filho2026spondias,
title = {{Spondias tuberosa Arruda (Umbu, Anacardiaceae): from an underutilized food resource to health-promoting and sustainable applications}},
author = {Luiz Antônio Miranda de Souza Duarte Filho and Anamaria Mendonça Santos and Isabela Motta Felicio and Raimundo Gonçalves de Oliveira Junior and Pierre Edouard Bodet and Jackson Roberto Guedes da Silva Almeida and Lucindo José Quintans-Junior and Raphaël Grougnet and Kevin Baranger and Sylvie Chevalier and Jonathan Izambart and Przemyslaw Sitarek and Laurent Picot},
journal = {Journal of Agriculture and Food Research},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1016/j.jafr.2026.103284},
url = {https://univ-rochelle.hal.science/hal-05746394v1},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Spondias tuberosa Arruda (Umbu, Anacardiaceae): from an underutilized food resource to health-promoting and sustainable applications
AU - Luiz Antônio Miranda de Souza Duarte Filho
AU - Anamaria Mendonça Santos
AU - Isabela Motta Felicio
AU - Raimundo Gonçalves de Oliveira Junior
AU - Pierre Edouard Bodet
AU - Jackson Roberto Guedes da Silva Almeida
AU - Lucindo José Quintans-Junior
AU - Raphaël Grougnet
AU - Kevin Baranger
AU - Sylvie Chevalier
AU - Jonathan Izambart
AU - Przemyslaw Sitarek
AU - Laurent Picot
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/11
JO - Journal of Agriculture and Food Research
DO - 10.1016/j.jafr.2026.103284
UR - https://univ-rochelle.hal.science/hal-05746394v1
AB - Spondias tuberosa Arruda (umbu tree) is a fruit-bearing species endemic to the semi-arid region of northeastern Brazil and has long been used in traditional medicine to manage gastrointestinal, respiratory, inflammatory, and dermatological disorders. In recent years, increasing scientific interest has focused on its phytochemical composition and potential therapeutic applications, highlighting the need for a comprehensive synthesis of the available evidence. This review provides an updated overview of the phytochemical profile of S. tuberosa, with emphasis on its major bioactive constituents and reported pharmacological properties. A literature search was conducted using major scientific databases to identify relevant studies, including both in vitro and in vivo investigations. Phytochemical analyses reveal the presence of diverse secondary metabolites, particularly phenolic acids, flavonoids, tannins, carotenoids, and terpenoids. Preclinical studies indicate that extracts and isolated compounds from S. tuberosa exhibit a broad spectrum of biological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, antimicrobial, antiviral, and antiproliferative effects in experimental models. Despite these promising findings, current evidence remains largely limited to in vitro and animal studies. Therefore, further research is required to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms, standardize extracts, and conduct well-designed clinical trials to confirm safety, efficacy, and translational potential. Overall, S.
SN - 2666-1543
ER -