Phytochemical Properties and Bioactivity of Podocarpus Species
Summary
Species of the genus Podocarpus, distributed predominantly in the Southern Hemisphere and parts of Asia, have long been valued in traditional medicine for treating fever, respiratory ailments and rheumatic disorders. Phytochemical investigations have revealed a rich diversity of secondary metabolites, notably abietane-type and ent-pimarane-type diterpenoids, nor- and bis-norditerpenoid dilactones, biflavonoids and totarol derivatives. These compounds serve as chemotaxonomic markers and underpin a broad spectrum of biological activities. Laboratory studies demonstrate anticancer potential via cell‐cycle arrest and induction of apoptosis, anti‐inflammatory effects through modulation of nitric oxide and cytokine pathways, antimicrobial activity against resistant bacteria, antioxidant capacity and insecticidal or larvicidal actions. More recently, specific kaurene-type diterpenoids have shown promising anti‐malarial activity through inhibition of plasmodial lactate dehydrogenase. Collectively, these findings underscore the global significance of Podocarpus species as reservoirs of bioactive scaffolds with practical applications in drug discovery and functional food development.
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Phytochemical Properties and Bioactivity of Podocarpus Species publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in phytochemical properties and bioactivity of podocarpus species across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Diterpenoids: Terpenoid compounds composed of four isoprene units (20 carbons), often bioactive.
Nagilactones: Tetracyclic lactone diterpenoids isolated from Podocarpus with diverse pharmacological effects.
IC₅₀: Concentration of a substance that inhibits a biological process by 50 percent.
Lipopolysaccharide (LPS): Endotoxin from Gram-negative bacteria used to stimulate inflammatory responses in vitro.
Cytokines: Small secreted proteins that mediate and regulate immunity and inflammation.
References
- Ethnobotany, phytochemistry and pharmacology of Podocarpus sensu latissimo (s.l.). South African Journal of Botany (2010).
- Diterpenoids Isolated from Podocarpus macrophyllus Inhibited the Inflammatory Mediators in LPS-Induced HT-29 and RAW 264.7 Cells. Molecules (2021).
- Naturally Occurring 8ß,13ß-kaur-15-en-17-al and Anti-Malarial Activity from Podocarpus polystachyus Leaves. Pharmaceuticals (2022).
- Anticancer Activities and Mechanism of Action of Nagilactones, a Group of Terpenoid Lactones Isolated from Podocarpus Species. Natural Products and Bioprospecting (2020).
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