Phytochemical and pharmacological potential of the genus Plectranthus- A review

Plectranthus is the third largest genus of the family Lamiaceae with long history in traditional medicine. It has been used for the treatment of diverse diseases around the world. The phytochemical studies of this genus show that they are rich in secondary metabolites such as diterpenes, monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, flavo-noids, phenolic compounds, quinone and long-chain alkylcatechol. The reports of the various researchers on the phytochemical and pharmaceutical activities shows that it possesses profuse number of biological activi-ties such as antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antiurolithiactic, anthel-minthic, analgesics, anticancer and larvicidal properties. In order to bridge the insufficient knowledge about phytochemistry and pharmacological activities of the genus, this study provides information about the phy-tochemical constituent, IUPAC nomenclature, molecular formula, molecular weight, chemical structure of about 298 phytocompounds and biological activity of several bioactive compounds. Even though this genus is explored with sizeable pharmacological activities, still many undescribed traditional and therapeutic prop-erties prevail. The foremost purpose of this is study to reveal the knowledge gap, stimulate research attention and untangle opportunity in the field of drug discovery. This copious information about the pharmaceutical potential of this genus may pave the way for the researchers to discover beneficial drug for the human wel-fare. However, several species of Plectranthus are not covered for the pharmacological survey and pharma-ceutical assay. (c) 2023 SAAB. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Plectranthus is a genus in the family Lamiaceae with a long history in traditional medicine and a rich composition of secondary metabolites. It exhibits various biological activities such as antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties. This study aims to bridge the knowledge gap, stimulate research attention, and explore opportunities in drug discovery. The abundant pharmaceutical potential of this genus may lead to the development of beneficial drugs for human welfare, although some species are still not thoroughly investigated.