Propiedades farmacológicas del aceite esencial de plukenetia volubilis (sacha inchi) y sus potenciales usos en la salud humana

Abstract

Background: The study of nutraceuticals has been under development for several years and its benefits have brought numerous advances. Such as turmeric, whose multiple properties have fostered a wide field of pharmacological development. In this context, Sacha inchi emerges as a new field of study with numerous and interesting potential benefits in human health. General objective: Develop a bibliographic review on the pharmacological properties of Plukenetia volubilis (Sacha inchi) essential oil. Methodology: A descriptive, narrative study in which the potential uses of Sacha inchi essential oil will be analyzed. Results: 386 articles were obtained by using search equations for this bibliographic review and 13 of which were selected. One of them about de eye effect has a high level of scientific evidence, four of them about the lipid lowering effect, three articles were founded about the antioxidant effect, caloric contribution and immunological effects with an intermediate level of evidence, an article about the feeding safety with an intermediate level of evidence, three articles about the skin effects and one last about hypoglycemic results with a low level of evidence as well. Conclusion: The Sacha inchi essential oil has proven to have many effects in human health among which the ocular one has a high level of evidence. It also has and important antioxidant and hypoglycemic effect. Other effects with a low level of evidence were the dermal and immunological.