Ethnopharmacognosy, phytochemistry and pharmacology of genus Caesalpinia: A review

Abstract

The genus Caesalpinia belongs to family Caesalpiniaceae and includes 280 species, distributed in tropic and sub-tropic regions of the world. Historically, species of the genus Caesalpinia have been used to treat a wide range of ailments such as malaria, ascariasis, dysentery, fever, rheumatism and influenza. Phytochemical works led to the isolation of triterpenoids, diterpenes, flavonoids, steroids and phenolic compounds. Pharmacological studies have shown that the extracts and compounds isolated from this genus exhibited anticancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-malarial, anti-pyretic, anti-microbial, anti-rheumatic, antiulcer and anti-diabetic activities. Therefore, the aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive overveiw of the ethnopharmacognosy, phytochemistry and pharmacology of the genus Caesalpinia.