Este relato de experiência apresenta o trabalho do Comitê de Produtos Naturais do Consórcio Acadêmico em Saúde Integrativa (CABSIn). São descritas a formação do comitê, seus objetivos, desafios e sua produção em pesquisas, publicações, sites e participação em eventos acadêmicos e científicos.
O Comitê de Produtos Naturais do CABSIn foi organizado em 2020 com os seguintes objetivos: produção de evidências científicas na área de produtos naturais; apoio a dissertações e teses relacionadas ao tema; suporte à oferta de cursos de especialização e aperfeiçoamento; organização e participação em eventos técnico-científicos. Seus membros possuem experiência acadêmica, clínica e docente nas áreas de saúde, farmácia, homeopatia, biologia, farmacologia, farmacovigilância de plantas medicinais, química de produtos naturais e aromaterapia. A participação ocorre por meio de reuniões online periódicas, coordenadas por um coordenador e um vice-coordenador, que são atualizados conforme necessidade. Atualmente, o comitê conta com 14 pesquisadores. Desde sua criação, o trabalho tem sido contínuo, proporcionando produção científica e participação ativa em eventos na área de produtos naturais.
O comitê surgiu para organizar esforços de pesquisa em produtos naturais, fortalecer a formação acadêmica e científica, e ampliar a participação em eventos e projetos colaborativos, enfrentando desafios de articulação entre pesquisadores de diferentes áreas e instituições.
O trabalho do comitê foi reconhecido por meio de convites para treinamentos, organização e participação em eventos, e autoria de publicações. Entre as ações destacam-se: participação em workshops sobre mapeamento de evidências em práticas integrativas de saúde; coordenação e publicação de monografias e mapas de evidências clínicas sobre fitoterapia, plantas medicinais e aromaterapia; participação em congressos nacionais e internacionais; autoria de manuscritos publicados em periódicos científicos; participação em projetos de validação farmacológica de plantas medicinais; e organização de simpósios e oficinas sobre plantas medicinais, fitoterapia e farmacovigilância.
Os desafios incluem a crescente demanda por participação em outros grupos de pesquisa, produção de documentos, palestras e atividades de ensino. Apesar disso, os objetivos propostos na criação do Comitê de Produtos Naturais do CABSIn têm sido alcançados, consolidando sua atuação científica e acadêmica.
This Experience Report aims to present the work of the Natural Products Committee of the Academic Consortium for Integrative Health (CABSIn). We present the formation of the Committee, its objectives, its challenges and finally its production in research, publications, websites and participation in academic and scientific events.
The Natural Products Committee of CABSIn (Brazilian Academic Consortium for Integrative Health) was organized in 2020 with the following objectives: (a) production of scientific evidences in the area of natural products; (b) support for dissertations and thesis related to the committee's theme; (c) support for the offering of specialization and improvement courses related to the theme; (d) organization and participation in technical-scientific meetings and events related to the committee's theme. The committee members have academic, clinical and teaching expertise in the areas of health, pharmacy, homeopathy, biology, pharmacology, pharmacovigilance of medicinal plants, chemistry of natural products and aromatherapy. The members remain active through periodic online meetings, with the goal of achieving the objectives described. The committee has a coordinator and a deputy coordinator, and the researchers occupying these positions have changed as needed over the years. The committee members were invited after approval by the entire group. Currently, 14 researchers are members of the Natural Products Committee. Since the beginning of its activities to the present day, the work has been continuous, providing the following researchers and participation related to the subject of natural products.
The work of the Natural Products Committee has been recognized and appreciated through invitations to training, organization, participation and authorship. Committee members participated in the 1st Training Workshop on evidence mapping methodology in Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Health organized by PAHO/WHO, BIREME, Brazilian Ministry of Health and CABSIn (2019); coordination and publication of the monograph "Use of Integrative and Complementary Practices in Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Medicinal Plants and Phytotherapeutics" (2020); participation and organization of the International Symposium on the Contributions of Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicines (TCIM) in the Context of the Covid-19 Pandemic (2021); coordination and publication of four Clinical Evidence Effectiveness Maps for Phytotherapy and Medicinal Plants (2020); participation in the III National Congress of Integrative and Complementary Practices in Health - III CONGREPICS (2021); authorship of the manuscript "Use of Integrative and Complementary Practices in Health During the Covid-19 Pandemic: theme Essential oils and aromatherapy"; participation in the Panamerican Compendium Medicinal Plants project; participation and organization of the I Pan American Congress of Medicinal Plants: in dialogue with traditional, cyt mplementary and integrative medicines (2022); coordination and publication of the Clinical Evidence Effectiveness Map for Brazilian Medicinal Plants (2022); coordination and participation in the Evidence Map of the Clinical Effectiveness of Aromatherapy (1st version and update) available on the website and authorship of its manuscript Executive Report; participation in the Evidence Map of Clinical Effectiveness in Health with Nature Interventions; participation in the authorship of the manuscript published in Front. Pharmacol.: A U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) overview of Pan American botanicals used in dietary supplements and herbal medicines (2024); participation in the project Pharmacological Validation of Medicinal Plants from the 17th to the 20th Century; participation in the organization and evaluation of manuscripts for the 3rd World Congress of Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine (3rd WCTCIM) (2025); participation in the Evidence Map on the Effectiveness of Medical Cannabis and co-authorship of the manuscript published in Frontiers in Pharmacology: Charting the Therapeutic Landscape: A Comprehensive Evidence Map on Medical Cannabis for Health Outcomes (2024); participation in the XXVII Symposium on Medicinal Plants of Brazil (2024) with a workshop on hallucinogens and a lecture on Pharmacovigilance of Medicinal Plants; participation in the IV International Symposium on Chemical-Pharmaceutical Investigations (in Itajaí, 2025) with the lecture “Medicinal Plants and Herbal Medicines Acting on the Central Nervous System” and other events.
As challenges, we observe the growing demand and need for participation in other research groups in the area of natural products, including the production of documents, talks, teaching and many others. On the other hand, it is noted that the objectives proposed in the organization of the Natural Products Committee of CABSIn has been achieved.
