A review of the medicinal uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology of genus Flueggea

Abstract

The genus Flueggea Willd. belongs to the Euphorbiaceae family, and is widely distributed in Asia, South America, Oceania and Europe, with sixteen species. Several species, such as Flueggea suffruticosa and Flueggea virosa, have been used as traditional medicines in southeast Asia and Africa for a long time for their good medicinal effects in treating rheumatoid arthritis, traumatic injury and gastrointestinal disease etc. The characteristic chemical constituents of this genus are alkaloids and diterpenoids, which show antiviral, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antitumor, antibacterial, antioxidant and neuroprotective activities. This review summarizes the traditional medicinal values, chemical constituents and pharmacological activities of genus Flueggea, in order to provide a useful reference for the follow-up research and application of the genus.