Resumen

ACOSTA DE LA LUZ, Lérida  y  RODRIGUEZ FERRADA, Carlos. Instructivo técnico para el cultivo de Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don. Vicaria. Rev Cubana Plant Med [online]. 2002, vol.7, n.2, pp. 0-0. ISSN 1028-4796.

Catharathus roseus (L) G. Don, Vinca rosea, is a plant frequently cultivated in yards and gardens in Cuba as a decorative and medicinal plant. Its leaves are commercialized in Madagascar for the alkaloids they have, mainly vinblastine and vincristine with antineoplastic action, and also for its roots, which are used as a raw material in the extraction of alkaloids such as serpentine and ajmalicine. The United States has the highest demand of leaves from this plant. The United Kingdom purchases 10 tons evey year, and Germany is also interested in the roots. So far, the alkaloids from vicaria have not been synthetically prepared so, it seems unlikely that the use of vinblastine and vincristine may be replaced by some other product of vegetal or synthetic origin. The systematics of the species, its botanical description, its uses and therapeutic properties, among other aspects, as well as the agricultural techniques allowing its extensive growing under these condtions were taken into consideration in this methodology.

Palabras clave : PLANTS, MEDICINAL [growth & development]; SEEDS [growth & development]; SEEDS [growth & development]; PLANT EXTRACTS [therapeutic use]; VINCA ALKALOIDS [therapeutic use]; CROPS AGRICULTURAL [growth & development]; VINBLASTINE [therapeutic use]; VINCRISTINE [therapeutic use].