Abstract
Objectives:
Cordia (family Boraginaceae) is a genus of deciduous flowering trees or
shrubs comprising more than 300 species distributed widely in the
tropical regions. The aim of this review was to provide exhaustive
scientific information on traditional uses, phytochemistry and
pharmacological activities of the 36 important species with medicinal
value from the genus Cordia, to divulge prospects for further research
on its therapeutic potential.
Key findings:
Leaves, fruit, bark and seed of a majority of the species were found to
possess abundant ethnomedicinal value, but leaves were found to be used
most frequently to treat many ailments such as respiratory disorders,
stomach pain, wound, inflammation, myalgia, cough, dysentery and
diarrhoea. The phytochemical investigation of 36 species resulted in
isolation of 293 chemical constituents from various chemical classes.
The crude extracts, fractions, essential oils and pure compounds
isolated from various Cordia species were reported to have a varied
range of pharmacological activities.
Summary:
Many of the traditional uses of the genus Cordia were supported by the
results obtained from pharmacological studies performed using various
extracts or pure compounds. More attention should be given to the
biological evaluation using pure phytochemicals and to identify the
mechanism of actions and exploring this genus for new drug discovery
