Review on health status, chemical composition and antimicrobial properties of the four species of the genus Cedrus

ABSTRACT This article presents a literature review on the chemical composition, antimicrobial activities of cedar oils, and the main diseases this tree is subjected to. The studies included in this review have drawn upon several databases including Scopus, Springer, ScienceDirect, Web of sciences. The keywords used in data collection were C. atlantica M, C. libani L, C. deodara L, C. brevifolia H, Red ring rot (M'jej), Cubic brown rot (Saboune). Genus Cedrus is rich in bioactive molecules such as himachalenes, atlantones and generally terpenes. These molecules have an important medicinal and cosmetic properties maintained by the inhibition and destruction of many bacteria and fungi, along with other several biological activities. Cedar suffers from pests and fungal attacks, which cause two types of fungal decay: the first one is brown cubic rot caused by Fomitopsis pinicola or Ungulina officinalis, and the red ring rot caused by Trametes pini or Phellinus chrysoloma.