Mouafon Iliassou L, Katerere David R
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, South Africa.
Front Pharmacol. 2025 May 21;16:1581659. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2025.1581659. eCollection 2025.
The genus has a rich history of traditional medicinal use across various cultures, particularly in Africa and parts of Asia. The present review summarizes key features of the genus , focusing on its occurrence, distribution, isolation, bioactivities, and toxicities.
A thorough literature review was conducted using databases such as Google Scholar, PubMed, ScienceDirect, JSTOR, and Web of Science. The search utilized the keyword "" in combination with relevant terms like "distribution," "traditional use," "phytochemicals," "chemical compounds," "pharmacology," "bioactivity," and "toxicity."
Our search yielded 3,724 records, with 88 studies from 1935 to 2024 meeting our criteria. The findings indicate that the genus comprises over 106 species of climbing plants, commonly found in tropical and subtropical regions. In traditional medicine, several species have been employed in various cultures for medicinal purposes, treating ailments such as wounds, leprosy, malaria, infections, infertility, colic, dysentery, hypertension, rheumatism, headaches, abdominal pain, and cancer. Chemical investigations have identified 27 secondary metabolites including alkaloids, glycosides, flavonoids, and ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs), particularly type 2, which are associated with cytotoxic and toxic effects. Pharmacological studies of chemical constituents and extracts from species have revealed a broad spectrum of biological activities, including cytotoxicity, antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anticholinesterase, neuropharmacological, antidepressant, antihyperglycaemic, anti-anemic, anticoagulant, antithrombotic, thrombolytic, and anesthetic activities. Despite their therapeutic benefits, concerns regarding safety and toxicity are significant, necessitating comprehensive evaluations and standardized methodologies for assessing their efficacy. Thus, future research should focus on validating the traditional uses of species through rigorous scientific methods to ensure their safety and efficacy in modern medicine.
该属植物在不同文化中有着悠久的传统药用历史，尤其是在非洲和亚洲部分地区。本综述总结了该属植物的关键特征，重点关注其分布、分离、生物活性和毒性。
使用谷歌学术、PubMed、ScienceDirect、JSTOR和Web of Science等数据库进行了全面的文献综述。搜索使用关键词“”并结合“分布”、“传统用途”、“植物化学物质”、“化合物”、“药理学”、“生物活性”和“毒性”等相关术语。
我们的搜索产生了3724条记录，其中1935年至2024年的88项研究符合我们的标准。研究结果表明，该属植物包括106种以上的攀缘植物，常见于热带和亚热带地区。在传统医学中，该属的几种植物在不同文化中被用于医疗目的，治疗伤口、麻风病、疟疾、感染、不孕症、绞痛、痢疾、高血压、风湿病、头痛、腹痛和癌症等疾病。化学研究已鉴定出27种次生代谢产物，包括生物碱、糖苷、黄酮类化合物和核糖体失活蛋白（RIPs），特别是2型，它们与细胞毒性和毒性作用有关。对该属植物的化学成分和提取物的药理学研究揭示了广泛的生物活性，包括细胞毒性、抗菌、抗氧化、抗炎、镇痛、抗胆碱酯酶、神经药理学、抗抑郁、抗高血糖、抗贫血、抗凝、抗血栓、溶栓和麻醉活性。尽管它们具有治疗益处，但对安全性和毒性的担忧仍然很大，需要进行全面评估并采用标准化方法来评估其疗效。因此，未来的研究应侧重于通过严格的科学方法验证该属植物的传统用途，以确保它们在现代医学中的安全性和有效性。
