Background: Euterpe oleracea Mart (açaí) is traditionally used as antidiarrheal, kidney and liver infections and as antimalarial. Methods: A review on Euterpe oleracea Mart was carried out in different databases, such as PubMed, Medline, Scielo, Herbal Medicine, as well as dissertations, theses, and books. Results: The literature shows the anticancer potential of açaí in different e cancer models. Regarding phytochemical composition, the literature shows greater amount of polyphenols, especially anthocyanins. Conclusions: The different uses of Euterpe oleracea Mart have been demonstrated by pharmacological and phytochemical studies, with the great amount of polyphenols, found in açaí, being pointed out as the main responsible for its anticancer activity.