Novel Therapeutic Uses of Legume Crops in Southern South America

Abstract

The Argentine flora comprises more than 10,000 species, and many of themhave been recorded as having medicinal, antimicrobial, and nutraceutical uses inhumans as well as veterinary uses. In this chapter, native species/populations fromthe north of Argentina have been identified, selected, and characterized using morphological, chemical, and molecular techniques. Bauhinia forficata subsp. pruinosawas found to have anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, diuretic, and analgesic activityand Senna spectabilis var. spectabilis has been found to have antibacterial, antibiofilm, antifungal, and antioxidant properties. The characterization and conservationof the native germplasm will allow us to propose future protocols of adaptation andtechnological processes to improve the quality of life in the rural areas and sustainable growth. This process will be achieved through a future integral and rationaluse that contemplates the conservation of the wild populations and their habitat.Thus, new resources will be generated, and the native flora of the country will gainvalue, strengthening the regional and territorial development of the agriculturaland agroindustrial system. In addition, the domestication practices oriented to anintegral management of the crop without extraction of the biological resource fromthe natural habitat minimize the impact of ecosystem degradation by overexploitation associated with landscape fragmentation.