Medicinal uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacological activities of Mitracarpus species (Rubiaceae): A review
Abiche Ekalu
Abstract
In ethnomedicine, Mitracarpus species offer a wide range of applications, such as in the treatment of toothache, headache, dyspepsia, amenorrhea, venereal diseases, liver diseases, leprosy, wounds, burns, cuts, boils, eczema, mycosis, scabies, sore throat, respiratory diseases, hepatitis, jaundice, rashes, ringworm, inflammation, diabetes, and lice. Bioactive secondary metabolites such as psychorubrin, ursolic acid, rutin, kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside, kaempferol, stigmasterol, and quercetin among others, were detected in the various extracts. These bioactive compounds and extracts exhibited diverse pharmacological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antifungal, anti-diabetic, antibacterial, antileishmanial, schistosomicidal, and anti-diarrheal. Although, only a few members of this genus have been studied, the vast medicinal uses of the plants reported so far cannot be overemphasized. Given the pharmacological activities of these plants, toxicity and clinical studies are warranted to promote their therapeutic uses.