The World Health Organization recommends the study and use of regional medicinal plants as a source of resources to reduce the costs of public health programs and increase the number of beneficiaries, especially in underdeveloped and developing countries. In the Amazon, the practice of herbal medicine is now an integral part of traditional culture, but on many occasions there is a profound lack of scientific knowledge about the effect of these plants. Therefore it is essential to study the scientific basis or not the indication of these plants for treating or preventing diseases. In this context, allergic diseases are the second leading complication that significantly affects the quality of life. In allergies, mast cells are key effector cells participating through the release of several pro- inflammatory mediators, including histamine. The stabilization of mast cells and thus inhibiting histamine release would be a key factor in the prevention and / or control of allergies. Thus the aim of this study was to evaluate the antiallergic potential of 5 or adapted species from the Amazon Connarus perrottetii var.angustifolius (Radlk) (barbatimão do pará), Fridericia chica (Bonpl.) LG Lohmann (pariri), Luehea speciosa Willd (açoita cavalo), Morinda citrifolia Linn (noni ) and Mansoa alliacea (Lam.) AH Gentry (cipó de alho) through the analysis of histamine secretion. Phytochemical screening of the ethanolic crude extracts to 70 % of each plant (fruit, leaves and / or bark) was performed and evaluated the release of histamine from peritoneal mast cells of rat incubated in vitro with different concentrations of the extracts and / or secretory agents (compound 48 /80 and A23187 ionophore). The present study demonstrates for the first time the inhibitory action of these five medicinal plants on the release of histamine. Among these 5 plants, the extract that showed a more potent effect was peeling Connarus perrottetii var. angustifolius ( Radlk ). Further study of this extract showed a low acute toxicity and lack of genotoxicity, which would support its use as a medicinal plant. The aqueous hexane and ethyl acetate fractions of this extract also showed potent inhibitory effect on histamine release induced. The phytochemical analysis by thin layer chromatography revealed the presence of tannins, catechins and flavonoids that could be responsible for these potent effects Through our results, new scientific bases are formed to elucidate the ethnopharmacological information on herbs traditionally used in the Amazon region. Thus, the possibility of investigating alternative therapies with these extracts against allergic affections or conditions in which the secretion of mast cells is relevant, may especially favor the low-income populations and living in areas with limited access to health centers, as often occurs in the Amazon, but otherwise has direct access to medicinal plants.
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