The genus Aglaia: Diversity in chemical structure and biological activity

Abstract

The Meliaceae family has been investigated comprehensively because of their structurally multifarious, and biologically active components. The genus Aglaia has the highest amount in this family, including around 150 species. These species are widespread throughout tropical regions, particularly in Southeast Asia and Australia. They have been used in traditional medicine for treating various diseases. This article summarizes 370 metabolites, which have been isolated from several parts such as the bark, roots, seeds, and leaves of Aglaia species in over fifty years from the first investigation in 1965 to 2024, originating from the flavagline, triterpenoid, sesquiterpenoid, steroid, alkaloid, and limonoid, while flavagline is the largest group. The components isolated from the genus Aglaia are analyzed for potential biological activities, like cytotoxicity, anti-inflammatory, insecticidal, antiviral, antituberculosis, and antifungal effects. In addition, the flavagline was reported to show a high potential for cytotoxic and insecticidal activities and was confirmed to be used as the chemical marker for this species. Therefore, these reports indicate that Aglaia species may hold potential as a valuable source for producing biologically active compounds.