<p>This study aims to conduct a bibliometric and bibliographic review to obtain a diagnosis of the scientific production and its trends, as well as the phytochemical, ethnobotanical and pharmacological aspects of <i>Myrcia splendens</i> (Sw.) DC., in order to highlight its potential and identify the main gaps in research. Searches were carried out in the Science Direct, SciELO, Scopus, Pubmed and Google Scholar databases, using descriptors in Portuguese, English and Spanish. It was observed that the most recent works are related to the phytochemistry and pharmacology predominantly of the leaves, while a scarcity of ethnobotanical studies was identified. A low dissemination of studies on a global scale was observed, with Brazil concentrating the largest number of publications. The part of the plant most used by traditional communities is the bark of the stem, used as a dye in the artisanal production of gourd and in the treatment of cancer. The essential oil of the leaves has high concentrations of terpenoids, but undergoes significant variations depending on the origin. The leaves are also rich in polyphenols, including gallic acid and myricetin. Pharmacological studies indicate that the species has anticancer, hypolipidemic and hypoglycemic activities. Although it is used as a dye species, no research related to this property was found. The potential of <i>M. splendens</i> as a source of bioactive substances is evident, but there is a need for further studies on other parts of the plant and their properties in order to diversify its therapeutic uses in an efficient and safe manner.</p>