The genus Canthium: A comprehensive summary on its traditional use, phytochemistry, and pharmacological activities.

Joseph Tchamgoue, Yvan Romuald W Tchokokam, Alain W Ngouonpe, Yvan Anderson T Ngandjui, Gesquière Laure M Tiani, Titus A M Msagati, Bonaventure T Ngadjui, Ivan R Green, Simeon F Kouam

Journal: Fitoterapia 2024;172():105754

PMID: 37992781

Full Text on Elsevier Science View on PubMed

Abstract

Canthium Lam. is a genus of flowering plants of the Rubiaceae family with about 80-102 species mainly distributed in Asia, tropical and subtropical Africa. The genus is closely related to Keetia E. Phillips and Psydrax Gaertn. and plants of this genus are used in folk medicine for the treatment of diarrhea, worms, leucorrhoea, constipation, snake bites, diabetes, hypertension, venereal diseases, and malaria. The present review covers a period of 52 years of biological and chemical investigations into the genus Canthium and has resulted in the isolation of about 96 secondary metabolites and several reported biological properties. For the Rubiaceae family, iridoids were reported as being the chemotaxonomic markers of this genus (∼25%). Other reported classes of compounds include alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, cyanogenic glycosides, coumarins, sugar alcohols, lignans, triterpenoids, and benzoquinones. The main reported pharmacological properties of most species of this genus include antioxidant, antiplasmodial, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, neuroprotective and antimicrobial activities with the latter being the most prominent. Considering the diversity of compounds reported from plants of this genus and their wide range of biological activities, it is considered to be worthy to further investigate them for the discovery of potentially new and cost effective drugs.

Address: Department of Chemistry, Higher Teacher Training College, University of Yaoundé I, P.O. Box 47, Yaoundé, Cameroon; Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé I, P.O. Box 812, Yaoundé, Cameroon.; Department of Chemistry, Higher Teacher Training College, University of Yaoundé I, P.O. Box 47, Yaoundé, Cameroon.; Department of Chemistry, Higher Teacher Training College, University of Yaoundé I, P.O. Box 47, Yaoundé, Cameroon; Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon.; Department of Chemistry, Higher Teacher Training College, University of Yaoundé I, P.O. Box 47, Yaoundé, Cameroon; College of Science Engineering and Technology, Institute for Nanotechnology and Water Sustainability, University of South Africa, Florida 1709, Johannesburg, South Africa.; Department of Chemistry, Higher Teacher Training College, University of Yaoundé I, P.O. Box 47, Yaoundé, Cameroon; Department of Fundamental Science, University Institute for Wood Technology Mbalmayo, P.O. Box 306, Mbalmayo, Cameroon.; College of Science Engineering and Technology, Institute for Nanotechnology and Water Sustainability, University of South Africa, Florida 1709, Johannesburg, South Africa.; Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé I, P.O. Box 812, Yaoundé, Cameroon.; Department of Chemistry and Polymer Science, University of Stellenbosch, P/Bag X1, Matieland, Stellenbosch 7602, South Africa.; Department of Chemistry, Higher Teacher Training College, University of Yaoundé I, P.O. Box 47, Yaoundé, Cameroon. Electronic address: [email protected].

DOI: 10.1016/j.fitote.2023.105754

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MeSH Terms: Ethnopharmacology, Phytotherapy, Plant Extracts, Molecular Structure, Rubiaceae, Phytochemicals