Phytochemicals and antimicrobial potentials of mahogany family

Drug resistance to human infectious diseases caused by pathogens lead to premature deaths through out the world. Plants are sources for wide variety of drugs used for treating various diseases. Systematic screening of medicinal plants for the search of new antimicrobial drug candidates that can inhibit the growth of pathogens or kill with no toxicity to host is being continued by many laboratories. Here we review the phytochemical investigations and biological activities of Meliaceae. The mahogany (Meliaceae) is family of timber trees with rich source for limonoids. So far, amongst the different members of Meliaceae, Azadirachta indica and Melia dubia have been identified as the potential plant systems possessing a vast array of biologically active compounds which are chemically diverse and structurally complex. Despite biological activities on different taxa of Meliaceae have been carried out, the information of antibacterial and antifungal activity is a meager with exception to Azadirachta indica. Together we provide new insights of Meliaceae members demonstrating as a potential source as antimicrobial agents using in vitro studies. (C) 2014 Sociedade Brasileira de Farmacognosia. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.