Phytochemical constituents and pharmacological activities of Breonadia salicina (Vahl) Hepper and J.R.I.Wood (Rubiaceae)

Abstract Background Medicinal plants have been the mainstay for treatment of various diseases since antiquity. The importance ethnomedicinal in drug discovery and development can never be overemphasized. Breonadia salicina (Vahl) Hepper J.R.I.Wood (Rubiaceae) is a medium to large plant that widely distributed tropical subtropical regions; leaf, stem bark, root used folk medicine cancer, arthritis, inflammation, wound infections, fever, diarrhoea, vomiting. Studies showed contains several phytochemical compounds, some which were isolated their pure form from parts plant. compounds include ursolic acid, α-amyrin, stigmasterol, sitosterol. Other essential 7-(β- d -apiofuranosyl-(1 → 6)-β- -glucopyranosyl) umbelliferone (Adicardin), 7-hydroxycoumarin, 6-hydroxy-7-methoxycoumarin. Literature works on B. are limited, information regarding its nutritional value lacking. However, leaf as food preservative. Main body This review compilation obtained scholarly databases including ScienceDirect, ResearchGate, Sci-Hub, Wiley Online Library, Google Scholar using search keywords related topic review. articles selected based year publication, was 2010 2021, but older references still included this because data recent cited sources. focuses uses well underpinning experimental evidence pharmacological activities such antibacterial, antifungal, anti-trypanasomal activities. Conclusion There need explore potentials by initially isolating characterizing bioactive then subsequently evaluating considered further novel therapeutic compound.