Natural Product Bioactivity in Traditional Mexican Medicine
Summary
Traditional Mexican Medicine leverages an extraordinary diversity of endemic flora, with indigenous communities employing botanical preparations for millennia. Contemporary research into natural product bioactivity integrates ethnobotanical wisdom with rigorous phytochemical analysis to isolate and characterise key metabolites such as terpenoids, flavonoids, lignans and pentacyclic triterpenes. These compounds exhibit a spectrum of pharmacological effects—antimicrobial and antiparasitic activities combat endemic infections; anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive properties address pain and swelling; cytotoxic effects offer leads for anticancer therapy; and metabolic modulators present novel avenues for glycaemic control. Advances in analytical techniques (HPLC-MS, NMR spectroscopy), in vitro bioassays and sustainable biotechnologies (callus and cell suspension cultures) have accelerated the discovery pipeline, underscoring the global relevance of Mexican medicinal plants as sources of new therapeutic agents while emphasising the importance of conservation and ethical sourcing.
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Natural Product Bioactivity in Traditional Mexican Medicine publication trend
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Technical terms
Lignans: Phenolic dimers of phenylpropanoid units, often exhibiting notable cytotoxic and anticancer activities.
Terpenoids: Isoprene-derived metabolites (mono-, sesqui- and diterpenes) renowned for anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antimicrobial properties.
Flavonoids: Polyphenolic C6–C3–C6 compounds with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and vascular-protective effects.
Callus culture: In vitro cultivation of undifferentiated plant cells used to produce secondary metabolites at scale without harvesting wild populations.
Antinociceptive: Referring to a compound’s ability to diminish the perception of pain.
α-Glucosidase inhibition: Inhibition of intestinal enzymes that cleave disaccharides, resulting in attenuated post-prandial blood glucose levels.
References
- Phytochemical Profiles and Cytotoxic Activity of Bursera fagaroides (Kunth) Engl. Leaves and Its Callus Culture. Plants (2024).
- Variation in Terpenoid and Flavonoid Content in Different Samples of Salvia semiatrata Collected from Oaxaca, Mexico, and Its Effects on Antinociceptive Activity. Metabolites (2023).
- Antihyperglycemic and Lipid Profile Effects of Salvia amarissima Ortega on Streptozocin-Induced Type 2 Diabetic Mice. Molecules (2021).
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