Comprehensive Review of Cratoxylum Genus: Ethnomedical Uses, Phytochemistry, and Pharmacological Properties

Abstract

In the past, the Cratoxylum genus has often been utilized as traditional medicines, culinary ingredients, health supplements, as well as manufacturing materials. This flowering plant genus belongs to the family Hypericaceae and is classified into six species: Cratoxylum arborescens, Cratoxylum cochinchinense, Cratoxylum formosum, Cratoxylum glaucum, Cratoxylum maingayi, and Cratoxylum sumatranum. The Cratoxylum genus is native to Asia as a traditional medicinal plant. It is currently being translated into conventional therapeutics as a preventive agent for diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases. The phytochemical analysis and pharmacological investigations on the Cratoxylum species have unveiled the wide spectrum of phytoconstituents, including xanthones, triterpenoids, flavonoids, and phenolic compounds. These compounds are attributed to their significant pharmacological effects, such as antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, antimalarial, anti-gastric ulcer, anti-HIV-1 reverse transcriptase, antidiabetic, and anticancer activities. These research findings have strengthened the foundation of the Cratoxylum genus as a traditional medicinal plant to be further developed and applied as selective therapeutic drugs for various ailments. This paper discusses the Cratoxylum genus regarding its traditional uses, phytochemical compounds, and pharmacological properties.