Phytochemistry and some biological activities of the Genus Hypericum

Document Type : Review Articles

Authors

University of Aleppo

Abstract

Medicinal plants are the best source of medicines. Therefore, studies on these plants have increased because of the search for new active substances that can be used in the herbal pharmaceutical industries. Hypericum is a large genus of flowering plants, comprising many species, and presents an almost worldwide distribution. The importance of its species depends mainly on the presence of specialized secondary metabolites that display pharmaceutical and cosmetic properties. Hypericum species are known worldwide for their ethno-medicinal uses including treating infections and diseases. They are used as diuretics, cholagogues, antispasmodics, antiepileptics, and also for treating rheumatism, neuralgia, parasites, dyspepsia, diarrhea, etc. There are only few reports about the chemical composition of the genus Hypericum. The aim of the present study is to provide an overview of the importance of the genus Hypericum. A summary of the chemical composition, as well as the antibacterial and antioxidant activities of different Hypericum species.

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