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Review
. 2017 Jan;25(1):187-196.
doi: 10.1016/j.jfda.2016.11.001. Epub 2016 Dec 10.

Biopharmaceutical potentials of Prosopis spp. (Mimosaceae, Leguminosa)

Affiliations
Review

Biopharmaceutical potentials of Prosopis spp. (Mimosaceae, Leguminosa)

Santhaseelan Henciya et al. J Food Drug Anal. 2017 Jan.

Erratum in

Abstract

Prosopis is a commercially important plant genus, which has been used since ancient times, particularly for medicinal purposes. Traditionally, Paste, gum, and smoke from leaves and pods are applied for anticancer, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial purposes. Components of Prosopis such as flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, quinones, or phenolic compounds demonstrate potentials in various biofunctions, such as analgesic, anthelmintic, antibiotic, antiemetic, microbial antioxidant, antimalarial, antiprotozoal, antipustule, and antiulcer activities; enhancement of H+, K+, ATPases; oral disinfection; and probiotic and nutritional effects; as well as in other biopharmaceutical applications, such as binding abilities for tablet production. The compound juliflorine provides a cure in Alzheimer disease by inhibiting acetylcholine esterase at cholinergic brain synapses. Some indirect medicinal applications of Prosopis spp. are indicated, including antimosquito larvicidal activity, chemical synthesis by associated fungal or bacterial symbionts, cyanobacterial degradation products, "mesquite" honey and pollens with high antioxidant activity, etc. This review will reveal the origins, distribution, folk uses, chemical components, biological functions, and applications of different representatives of Prosopis.

Keywords: Prosopis; medicinal application; natural product; secondary metabolite.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Chemical structures of phytochemicals with medicinal properties present in Prosopis spp.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Mechanisms of action of juliflorine from Prosopis spp.

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