ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF MEDICINAL PLANTS: AN EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGY

Natural products are used by humans since ancient times, among these are the medicinal plants. The search for relief and cure of diseases by eating grass and leaves may have been one of the first ways of using natural products. The present study aimed to the realization of a technological exploration of medicinal plants with antibacterial activity. For this, the foundations of scientific papers, Science Direct, Web of Science and SCOPUS for theses and dissertations, bank CAPES thesis, and patents were used examined the foundations of the INPI, WIPO and EPO, the survey was conducted in July 2014, featuring a documentary study. It was possible to observe a higher quantity of scientific articles relating to patents about the topic. At the base of WIPO, the descriptors that longed for more research objective of 38 patents were found, the largest number of patent applications was South Korea with 27, 32 which are classified in Section A (human needs) and the year occurred more deposit was in 2005 with 7 patents. There is need for more investment in research and incentives in developing therapeutic products.