Prospecção científica e tecnológica do gênero Hibiscus (Malvaceae)

Abstract

The Hibiscus genus belongs to Malvaceae family, which consists of about 250 genera and 4200 species, covering many species of chemical and pharmacological interest, thus the object of many scientific researches. Thus, the objective of this study was to perform a bibliographic survey of the genus Hibiscus using the web of Science database that showed the existence of 808 scientific articles published between 2006-2016, classified in different areas of research. In addition, a scientific and technological survey of the genus Hibiscus was carried out in the European Patent Office (EPO), the Brazilian National Industrial Property Institute (INPI), the Latin American Patent Bank (LATIPAT), the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). The analysis of patent data allowed us to identify the USPTO with the largest patent deposit (184 patents) in the analyzed time period, however, two of these patents were also deposited in the WIPO database and another in LATIPAT. An important criterion used for the analyzed patents was the classification according to the CIP (International Classification of Patents) that takes into account the application of the deposited patent. Patent records were distributed in the sections section A (human needs), B (processing operations, transport), C (chemistry, metallurgy), G (Physics). A total of 92 patent registrations were found within section A and among these subclass A01H (new plants or processes for obtaining the same; plant breeding by tissue culture techniques) covered 32 patents. This growing interest in the production of new Hibiscus is related to its varied application. The patents have been classified in subclasses A01G, A23F, A61P, A61L, A61K, A01H, B01J, A23C, A23L, B01D, C09B, C11B, C12N, C12G, C08B, C07D and C05G, which include application of Hibiscus from Horticulture, food production, fertilizers, even medical purposes. The results of this work contributed to the chemical and pharmacological knowledge of species of the genus Hibiscus.