Fraxinus: A Plant with Versatile Pharmacological and Biological Activities

Abstract

Fraxinus, a member of the Oleaceae family, commonly known as ash tree is found in northeast Asia, north America, east and western France, China, northern areas of Pakistan, India, and Afghanistan. Chemical constituents of Fraxinus plant include various secoiridoids, phenylethanoids, flavonoids, coumarins, and lignans; therefore, it is considered as a plant with versatile biological and pharmacological activities. Its tremendous range of pharmacotherapeutic properties has been well documented including anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and neuroprotective. In addition, its bioactive phytochemicals and secondary metabolites can be effectively used in cosmetic industry and as a competent antiaging agent. Fraxinus presents pharmacological effectiveness by targeting the novel targets in several pathological conditions, which provide a spacious therapeutic time window. Our aim is to update the scientific research community with recent endeavors with specifically highlighting the mechanism of action in different diseases. This potentially efficacious pharmacological drug candidate should be used for new drug discovery in future. This review suggests that this plant has extremely important medicinal utilization but further supporting studies and scientific experimentations are mandatory to determine its specific intracellular targets and site of action to completely figure out its pharmacological applications.

Curcumol: From Plant Roots to Cancer Roots

“…Currently available cancer treatments such as chemotherapies and clinical drugs have limited success as they are correlated with various toxic effects and are also expensive. Therefore, this is an ultimate need of the time to find out reliable, inexpensive, and safe alternatives [3]. Naturally occurring bioactive molecules have been extensively investigated for their chemopreventive or chemotherapeutic potential due to biosafety, lesser toxicity, and availability as dietary supplements [43].…”

“…Medicinal plants are extensively utilized as herbal remedies for the prevention, cure, and treatment of wide spectrum of pathological conditions [2]. Modern drug discovery from natural products is a novel approach linking molecular, biological, phytochemical, and bioassay-guided fractionation techniques [3]. Plant products-based drug discovery yet remains an imperative domain where in depth research can definitely supply novel leads against numerous biological targets [4].…”

“…Numerous investigations on herbs and plants have assured their efficacy as compelling source of anticancer [3], antimicrobial [9], antiinflammatory [10], antioxidant [11], and neuroprotective agents [12,13].…”

Tubeimoside-1, Triterpenoid Saponin, as a Potential Natural Cancer Killer

“…Cancer is a multi-faceted pathological condition encompassing metabolic, genetic, and signaling defects that markedly upset normal homeostasis of cellular growth and death [25]. Current treatments opportunities for this deadly disease are based on chemotherapy/synthetic drugs that have delimited clinical success because they are invariably associated with high toxicity and are expensive, thus, arousing the urgent need to find safe and inexpensive alternatives [8]. Cancer chemoprevention by naturally occurring bioactive compounds such as phytochemicals, vitamins, and minerals has turned up as pragmatic and promising access to diminish the burden of cancer and this approach is gaining attentiveness day by day.…”

“…In accordance to a record from WHO, 80% of the population globally still dependent on plant-based drugs. Accordingly, this approach of drug discovery still represents far-reaching domain, hitherto unplumbed, where an extensive research could supply imperative leads against cellular targets in biological systems [8,9].…”