Análisis de las características fitoquímicas, propiedades farmacológicas, usos y aplicaciones más comunes de la Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni) en Ecuador

Abstract

According to World Health Organization nowadays traditional medicine it's considered a fundamental part of health in communities. The gender Stevia represents one of the most diverse in the family Asteraceae. The specie most known worldwide as Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni, commonly called leaf of honey. The investigations main purpose was to research about the phytochemical composition and the industrial and pharmaceutical applications of the species Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni in Ecuador. For the development of this study, we established inclusion and exclusion criteria, like articles and documents taken from scientific databases and investigations conducted since 2015 in English as well as in Spanish resulting in total of 87 articles pre-selected, of which 64 were included. In this study we described the functional groups of the specie as well as the secondary metabolisms in chemical screening. The principal components are glucosides of Steviol: Stevioside and rebaudioside-A, that represent 2.4 percent of the weight of dried leaves that together with the rest of components, they give Stevia rebaudiana anticancer, antihypertensive, antimicrobial and antihyperglycemic properties. This last one allows the population with obesity to use them in the treatment as no caloric sweeteners. About the industrial properties the companies have replaced the saccharose for glucosides of steviol their drinks either if they are carbonated drinks or not due to the fact that they do not produce adverse effects in the health of the people.