Comprehensive review on flavonoids biological activities of Erythrina plant species
Introduction
People around the world have extensively used naturally occurring substances for health purposes. In the past few decades, natural products gained much interest and played important roles in the treatment of many diseases. Natural products represent a rich source of new drugs and drug leads because they hold a high structural and chemical diversity not found in synthetic compounds (Lahlou, 2007). Flavonoids are a group of naturally occurring compounds with variable phenolic structures (Kumar and Pandey, 2013). They are well known for their various biological activity, that was attributed to their high antioxidant activity (Pinheiro and Justino, 2012). However, recent studies highlighted the potential of flavonoids as an anti-inflammatory agent and showed their importance in the inhibition of different pro-inflammatory mediators (Serafini et al., 2010), which explained the mechanism by which they exert their therapeutic effects. Flavonoids gained much attention in managing metabolic syndromes, cancers, cognitive and immune system disorders (Kumar and Pandey, 2013; Macready et al., 2009).
Genus Erythrina belongs to family Fabaceae and comprises over 130 species. Plants of this genus are cultivated in different countries and they are widely distributed in the tropical and subtropical areas around the world. Erythrina species are cultivated particularly as an ornamental, shade and soil improvement trees. Erythrina americana Mill. is easily propagated by vegetative means as well as by seeds (Kumar et al., 2010). Erythrina lysistemon Hutch. is cultivated in Egypt as an ornamental plant (El-Masry et al., 2002). Erythrina is derived from the Greek word “erythros”, which means red, the most common color of Erythrina flowers. However, some species possess orange and yellow flowers. It is occasionally referred to as the “coral tree” as some of the species have coral-colored flowers (de Araújo-Júnior et al., 2012). Traditionally, genus Erythrina has been widely used in the treatment of various ailments, the stem bark and leaves were used to make an infusion that exhibits tranquilizing and anti-anxiety properties (de Oliveira et al., 2014). Different species have been used to manage microbial infections, inflammation (Namkoong et al., 2011; Waffo et al., 2000), dizziness, amenorrhea, headache, eye troubles (Togola et al., 2009), female sterility (Njamen et al., 2003), liver disorders, asthma, epilepsy, malaria (Kumar et al., 2010; Yenesew et al., 2004), and wounds (Bedane et al., 2016a).
Previous reports demonstrated the occurrence of various phytochemicals in Erythrina species, with alkaloids and flavonoids as the principle bioactive constituents. Triterpenes, sterols, stilbenes, coumarins and phenolic acids were also reported. Alkaloids were considered the only reported phytochemicals from this genus because researchers focused on the isolation of Erythrina alkaloidal content until the late seventies (Majinda et al., 2005). Erythrina alkaloids were reported as neuromuscular blockers, smooth muscle relaxant, anti-depressant and anticonvulsant (Ghosal et al., 1972). Nevertheless, reports started to arise on the flavonoid content mainly flavanones, isoflavanones, isoflavones, and pterocarpans. Reported flavonoids from this genus exhibited numerous biological activities, with cytotoxic activity on different cancer cell lines as the most commonly studied activity (Passreiter et al., 2015). Anti-inflammatory (Togola et al., 2009), antidiabetic (Cui et al., 2007), antimicrobial (Tanaka et al., 2003b), antiHIV (Lee et al., 2009), and anti-plasmodial (Rukachaisirikul et al., 2008) activities were also reported.
Reviews on Erythrina were published; however, they mainly focused on the alkaloidal content of the plants belonging to this genus or on certain selected Erythrina species (Chawla and Kapoor, 1995; Hussain et al., 2016; Jackson, 1985). To the best of our knowledge, no comprehensive, updated phytochemical review was published covering most of the studied Erythrina species, their ethnopharmacology and flavonoid constituents with their reported biological activities. Only Majinda et al. (2005) discussed the non-alkaloidal constituents of different Erythrina species and reported only 86 compounds isolated from the genus.
To divulge the importance of natural products and phytochemicals, specifically flavonoids as lead compounds in managing various diseases, including oxidative stress, inflammation, and cancer, this review sheds light on genus Erythrina as a potential source of flavonoids showing their wide structural diversity and biological activity.
Flavonoids isolated from this genus were subjected to various biological studies. About 370 flavonoids were isolated from different Erythrina species, many of these compounds showed cytotoxic, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial activities. In our review, we describe the ethnopharmacology of different Erythrina species, which correlates with the traditional use of this genus and its reported biological activity. In addition, we discuss the most studied biological activities performed on compounds isolated from this genus, with an attempt to link the effectiveness of the selected compounds with their chemical structure. Aiming that such work can encourage researchers to continue working on this genus unearthing the full potential of their diverse flavonoids as lead compounds targeting serious ailments facing humanity.
Section snippets
Ethnopharmacology
Numerous Erythrina species were used in folk medicine to treat different diseases. In Kenya, the bark E. abyssinica Lam. was used for the treatment of trachoma, and elephantiasis, while the roots for malaria, and syphilis (Ichimaru et al., 1996). In Ghana, E. addisoniae Hutch. & Dalziel stem and root bark were used against dysentery, hepatitis, and rheumatic disorders (Watjen et al., 2008). The bark of E. caffra Thunb. was used traditionally in the treatment of sores, tuberculosis, respiratory
Flavonoid constituents
Genus Erythrina is well known for its bioactive secondary metabolites. Flavonoids represent a large group of metabolites isolated from Erythrina. Their activities vary depending on the structure degree of hydroxylation, substitutions, and conjugation. They occur as aglycones, glycosides, and prenylated derivatives. Flavones, flavonols, flavanones, chalcones, isoflavans, isoflav-3-enes, neoflav-3-enes, isoflavanones, isoflavones, pterocarpans, coumestans, arylcoumarins, coumaronochromones,
Biological studies
In the current section, we will discuss the reported biological activity of the isolated flavonoids from Erythrina, focusing mainly on their role in the management of major health problems commonly found nowadays. Mainly cytotoxicity, anti-inflammatory, estrogenic, and antiplasmodial activities were reported. Also, the role of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) inhibitory activity in the antidiabetic and cytotoxic activities will be discussed. Other biological activities were recorded for
Conclusion
Recently there is an increased interest for the use of natural remedies as a safe and affordable medicines for treating various diseases. Medicinal plants serve as a potential source for drug discovery. Plant secondary metabolites, particularly flavonoids embrace a vast array of biologically active compounds that plays an important role in the management of various health condition, such as metabolic syndromes, cardiovascular disease, atherosclerosis, and cancers (Kumar and Pandey, 2013;
Conflict of interest
Authors declare no conflict of interest.
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2022, Pesticide Biochemistry and PhysiologyCitation Excerpt :Flavonoids contain two phenyl rings which are bound by a 3-carbon bridge. They are divided into flavones, flavonols, flavanones, flavanol, aurone and isoflavones (Fig. 2 (26–35)) (Fahmy et al., 2018; Zhao et al., 2017). Terpenoids (Fig. 2 (14–25)) are mainly referred to hydrocarbon groups, which are polymerized from C5 isoprene or isopentane units (Wang et al., 2021a).