Introduction:

Plants are a fundamental part of medicine systems. To have a plant source as a therapeutic alternative, it is essential to demonstrate its usefulness scientifically. The species Clusia minor L., Caesalpinia bahamensis Lam., Murraya paniculata L, Phania matricarioides (Spreng.) Griseb. and Lippia alba Mill, which grow in Cuba, are traditionally used for the treatment of different diseases; however, phytochemical and pharmacological studies that guarantee this utility and permit establishing its quality are limited or null. Objectives: to determine the main pharmacognostic parameters to establish its quality as a vegetal drug, to identify the main metabolites and to evaluate some of its pharmacological properties preliminarily.

Methods:

the quality requirements of some of the species as a crude drug were determined through pharmacognostic evaluations, phytochemical methods were applied, the main substances isolated were characterized structurally, and the antioxidant, diuretic, antilithic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antiparasitic effects of some of its extracts were evaluated.

Results:

The quality specifications of raw drugs, extracts and designed formulations, as well as the chemical markers were established. Some of the main chemical components could be extracted, isolated, purified and characterized, many of which constituted new reports for the species and genus. The bioactive potential of the plants evaluated and their low toxicity were demonstrated. Conclusions: The species studied constitute a potential resource in the field of phytotherapics. The chemical-pharmacognostic knowledge of the Cuban flora and its real therapeutic usefulness were expanded.

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