A critical review on phytopharmacology, spectral and computational analysis of phytoconstituents from Streblus asper Lour

Abstract

BackgroundPhytomedicine has been practiced since time immemorial for alleviating human diseases. However, since plants offer unique phytoconstituents with specific biological activities, a systematic approach towards the use of phytomedicine is gaining immense importance since the past few decades. Family Moraceae comprises trees, shrubs, herbs, and lianas. This family includes not only fruit-bearing trees but also plants of ornamental value. Streblus asper Lour, a rigid evergreen tree, belonging to the family Moraceae, is of great importance and is widely used in folklore medicine. The plant exhibits traditional prevalence in the treatment of leprosy, piles, diarrhoea, dysentery, elephantiasis, and dental caries. Several pharmacological studies have established therapeutic potential and health benefits of Streblus asper in various diseases. The focus of this review was to present an updated yet comprehensive information of the biological activities reported on the various extracts of Streblus asper Lour and to collate the information available on isolated phytoconstituents, their spectral and computational analysis, and probable mechanistic studies. MethodsSciFinder Scholar database, PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and other web sources such as Kew Botanical Garden and The Plant List were visited for an exhaustive literature search on the medicinal uses, pharmacological activities, isolation, structural elucidation, and computational studies on phytoconstituents from Streblus asper Lour. Research articles available to date, focusing on these areas were used in this review, thus upgrading the information presented in the latest review of 2017. ResultsThe extracts of various plant parts of Streblus asper possess several potentially bioactive compounds credited with various biological activities including anti-hepatitis B virus, antimicrobial, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-diarrhoeal, neuroprotective, hypoglycaemia, and cytotoxicity. ConclusionsThe phytoconstituents from Streblus asper have been found to exhibit a broad gamut of pharmacological activities, thereby making them unique candidates for exploratory studies. Extensive clinical data may ascertain their potential use in humans to alleviate the disorders in which these extracts are significantly useful in vitro.