Polyalthia cerasoides (Roxb.) Bedd. is also known as Guatteria cerasoides or Uvaria cerasoides belonging to the family of Annonaceae. P. cerasoides is used in traditional and folklore system of medicine extensively across Asian and African countries for its various pharmacological properties as treatment of toothaches, fever and combat stress. An exhaustive bibliographic search related to P. cerasoides, noticed that, a large number of bioactive compounds, such as aporphine alkaloids, sequiterpenes, diterpenes, Phenolics and Isoquinolene compounds enriched the stem bark and roots. The scientific ethnopharmocological studies proved that it possesses a wide range of biological activities such as anti inflammatory, antioxidant, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, hepatoprotective, anticancerous, analgesic studies and antistress activities. Scientific investigation on isolated bioactive components (Cerasoidine, Polyalthidin, laudanidine, codamine, bidebiline E etc.,) exhibits the antimalarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum, antimycobacterial activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and anticancer activities. Its efficacy on diseases proved the future usefulness of different species of P. cerasoides. The toxicity studies reveal its non-toxic effect even at larger doses. This review provides the scope of phytochemical, pharmacological, medicinal and non-medicinal uses of P. cerasoides. Further extensive investigation on P. cerasoides for its therapeutic potential related to folklore claims and shed the light on its unexplored potentialities.
Key words: Polyalthia cerasodes; bioactive compounds; pharmacological activities; folklore
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