Technological Forecasting of Spondias tuberosa (Anacardiaceae)
Popularly known as "umbuzeiro" or "imbuzeiro", Spondias tuberosa is a plant belonging to the Anacardiacea family, endemic to the Brazilian semiarid, with great economic potential. Considering the economic and medicinal potential of this plant, the aim of this study was to carry out a technological prospection of Spondias tuberosa (umbuzeiro), analyzing the patents deposited in national and international bases up to the present moment. A search of patent applications filed in the national and international databases was carried out. The survey carried out resulted in a total of 20 patent deposits in the consulted databases, with WIPO being the bank with the highest number of patents found. Brazil leads with 14 patents filed, followed by the United States, Norway and Switzerland. In the last 16 years, it was possible to observe a larger number of patents deposited between 2014 and 2016, demonstrating the increasing technological interest in the plant under study. Among the researched patent deposits, 23.40% were classified in the IPC code A61K, which covers preparations for medical, dental or hygienic purposes. Other important classes were C07C (acyclic or carboxylic organic compounds) and A23L (foods or food products), with 19.14% each, followed by A61P (specific therapeutic activity of chemical compounds or medicinal preparations) with 14.89% of the patents. It is possible to perceive the need for a greater investment in national technological research and innovation, aiming at the sustainable and rational use of Brazilian biodiversity.