Abstract
Globally grown and organoleptically appreciated Grewia species are known as sources of bioactive compounds that avert the risk of communicable and non-communicable diseases. Therefore, in recent years, the genus Grewia has attracted increasing scientific attention. This is the first systematic review which focusses primarily on the nutritional composition, phytochemical profile, pharmacological properties, and disease preventative role of Grewia species. The literature published from 1975 to 2021 was searched to retrieve relevant articles from databases such as Google Scholar, Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science. Two independent reviewers carried out the screening, selection of articles, and data extraction. Of 815 references, 56 met our inclusion criteria. G. asiatica and G. optiva were the most frequently studied species. We found 167 chemical compounds from 12 Grewia species, allocated to 21 categories. Flavonoids represented 41.31% of the reported bioactive compounds, followed by protein and amino acids (10.7%), fats and fatty acids (9.58%), ash and minerals (6.58%), and non-flavonoid polyphenols (5.96%). Crude extracts, enriched with bioactive compounds, and isolated compounds from the Grewia species show antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective/radioprotective, immunomodulatory, and sedative hypnotic potential. Moreover, antimicrobial properties, improvement in learning and memory deficits, and effectiveness against neurodegenerative ailments are also described within the reviewed article. Nowadays, the side effects of some synthetic drugs and therapies, and bottlenecks in the drug development pathway have directed the attention of researchers and pharmaceutical industries towards the development of new products that are safe, cost-effective, and readily available. However, the application of the Grewia species in pharmaceutical industries is still limited.
Highlights
The increasing number of deaths associated with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, inflammation, and other physiological disorders has gained the attention of health experts, researchers, and policymakers, with a view to promote healthy eating practices
Flavonoids represented 41.9% of the reported bioactive compounds, followed by protein and amino acids (10.9%), fats and fatty acids (9.72%), ash and minerals (6.67%), non-flavonoid polyphenols (6.05%), triterpenes (4.86%), phenolic acids (4.79%), vitamins (3.03%), carboxylic acids (3.03%), and all other categories were below 2% of the total reported compounds (Figure 4)
We found 113 secondary metabolites reported from G. asiatica, G. optiva, G. tiliaefolia, G. biloba, G. microcos, G. hirsuta, and G. lasiocarpa allocated to 13 categories wherein 102 compounds were reported from G. asiatica, 19 were identified from G. optiva, three were identified from G. tiliaefolia, six were identified from G. biloba, seven were identified from G. microcos, one was identified from G. hirsuta, and one was identified from G. lasiocarpa
Summary
The increasing number of deaths associated with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, inflammation, and other physiological disorders has gained the attention of health experts, researchers, and policymakers, with a view to promote healthy eating practices. Fruits of some of the Grewia species are edible e.g., G. asiatica, G. optiva, G. mollis, G. occidentalis, and G. tenax [4]. Numerous species of this genus have been shown to possess a variety of ethnopharmacological applications, e.g., G. asiatica leaves have been reported to cure skin problems such as eczema, eruptions, inflammation, as well as asthma, bronchitis, colds, coughs, and sore throat. G. tenax has been reported to cure distress of the stomach and skin, intestinal infections, fever, diarrhea, dysentery, hepatic disorders, jaundice, and rheumatism and has been reported to have antibiotic properties [8]. The boiled leaves of G. microcos are traditionally used to improve digestion and are used for colds, hepatitis, diarrhea, heat stroke, dyspepsia, typhoid fever, and syphilitic ulceration of the mouth [9]
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