Phytochemical Assessment of Bioactive Compounds in Lantana Species

The genus Lantana, particularly L. camara and closely related taxa, has attracted considerable interest owing to its rich repertoire of secondary metabolites with diverse biological activities. Phytochemical investigations have revealed a broad spectrum of terpenes, flavonoids, phenylpropanoids and iridoid glycosides within leaves, flowers and stems. Essential oils from different organs show seasonal and organ-specific variation in sesquiterpene and monoterpene profiles, while non‐volatile extracts yield phenolic acids, alkaloids and glycosides. Modern chromatographic and spectrometric techniques enable detailed chemical fingerprinting and quantification of individual constituents. These compounds underpin antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti‐inflammatory, anticancer, antiparasitic and insecticidal properties, highlighting Lantana as both a source of lead molecules for drug discovery and a candidate for integrated pest management. Continued efforts to correlate structure–activity relationships, optimise extraction and standardise analytical protocols are central to translating ethnobotanical knowledge into practical applications.

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Phytochemical Assessment of Bioactive Compounds in Lantana Species publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in phytochemical assessment of bioactive compounds in lantana species across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Phytochemical: A naturally occurring plant metabolite, often secondary, responsible for bioactivity.
Bioactive compound: A molecule that exerts a biological effect on living systems.
Flavonoid: A polyphenolic compound with a characteristic C6–C3–C6 skeleton, often antioxidant.
Iridoid glycoside: A cyclopentanoid monoterpene linked to a sugar, frequently associated with anti-inflammatory activity.
GC-MS: Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, an analytical method for separating and identifying volatile compounds.
LC-MS-MS: Liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry, a technique for precise quantification and structural elucidation of non-volatile metabolites.

References

1. Ethnobotany, Phytochemistry, and Biological Activity of Extracts and Non-Volatile Compounds from Lantana camara L. and Semisynthetic Derivatives—An Updated Review. Molecules (2025).
2. Composition, Seasonal Variation, and Biological Activities of Lantana camara Essential Oils from Côte d’Ivoire. Molecules (2020).
3. Phytochemical Characterization and Assessment of Crude Extracts From Lantana camara L. for Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activity. Frontiers in Agronomy (2020).
4. Comparative LC–LTQ–MS–MS Analysis of the Leaf Extracts of Lantana camara and Lantana montevidensis Growing in Egypt with Insights into Their Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, and Cytotoxic Activities. Plants (2022).