Genus Tabebuia: A comprehensive review journey from past achievements to future perspectives

Abstract

Tabebuia is the largest genus of Bignoniaceae. It is commonly recognized as a therapeutic alternative by rural or remote populations. The results of ethnopharmacological studies indicate the potential use of these plants to treat a large variety of diseases. Tabebuia species have been used empirically as anti-inflammatory, anticancer and antimicrobial agents in rural areas of Colombia, Bolivia, Brazil and other Latin-American countries. Due to its great importance in traditional and modern medicine, several Tabebuia species have been phytochemically investigated and the potential toxicity of these plants has also been discussed. Variable phytoconstituents are isolated from genus Tabebuia, among which; naphthoquinones and phenolic compounds are the most prevalent. The present review aims to provide a critical and comprehensive details about the traditional uses, phytochemical, pharmacological and toxicological properties of twenty Tabebuia species. In addition, the reported pharmaceutical documents that support the importance of Tabebuia species in traditional systems, are provided. On the other hand, the review also clarify the remaining gaps and thus supply a basis for further investigations. Although recent experimental evidence confirms the pharmacological interest of this genus, further bioguided isolation studies are required to understand the role of a particular compound in the observed biological activities.

Keywords

• Bignoniaceae
• Tabebuia
• Traditional uses
• Phytochemical content
• Naphthoquinones
• Biological activities