Biological Activities of Mikania glomerata and Mikania laevigata: A Scoping Review and Evidence Gap Mapping.

Background/Objectives: The species Mikania glomerata and Mikania laevigata are commonly referred to as guaco. Their preparations are used in traditional Brazilian medicine, mainly to address respiratory conditions affecting the upper airways. Considering the wide popular use of this species, the present study aims to survey the biological activities of guaco that have already been proven in the literature and to generate an evidence gap map for these biological activities. Methods: A scoping review was conducted using the electronic databases PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science (7 October 2024), which included all studies that have evaluated the biological activities of the leaves of the M. glomerata or M. laevigata species. Results: A total of 57 studies (31 assessed only M. glomerata, 17 assessed only M. laevigata, and 9 assessed both species) evaluating 38 different biological activities demonstrated that preclinical studies reported 23 biological activities for M. glomerata and 24 for M. laevigata. The most extensively researched activity for both species is their anti-inflammatory properties, which have been associated with their efficacy in treating bronchoconstriction and their popular uses as an antiophidic agent. The gap map illustrates the lack of evidence to support the biological activity of these species, which may explain some of their popular uses, such as their use as expectorants, antipyretics, for arthritis, rheumatism, neuralgia, and as an antisyphilitic. Conclusions: Considering these findings, there is a clear need for further studies to evaluate the activity of these species for these purposes, mainly through clinical studies.