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Review
. 2021 Feb 12:12:593856.
doi: 10.3389/fphar.2021.593856. eCollection 2021.

Phytochemistry, Pharmacology and Medicinal Uses of Plants of the Genus Salix: An Updated Review

Nora Tawfeek  1   2 , Mona F Mahmoud  3 , Dalia I Hamdan  4 , Mansour Sobeh  1   5 , Nawaal Farrag  2 , Michael Wink  1 , Assem M El-Shazly  2
Affiliations
Review

Phytochemistry, Pharmacology and Medicinal Uses of Plants of the Genus Salix: An Updated Review

Nora Tawfeek et al. Front Pharmacol. .

Abstract

The Willows (genus Salix), with more than 330-500 species and 200 hybrids, are trees, shrubs or prostrate plants that are widely distributed in Africa, North America, Europe, and Asia. The genus is traditionally used in folk medicine and represents a valuable source of biologically active compounds among them salicin, a prodrug for salicylic acid. Altogether, 322 secondary metabolites were characterized in the genus including flavonoids 94) (flavonols, flavones, flavanones, isoflavones, flavan-3-ols (catechins and procyanidins), chalcones, dihydrochalcone, anthocyanins, dihydroflavonols), phenolic glycosides (76), organic acids (28), and non-phenolic glycosides (17), sterols and terpenes (17), simple phenolics 13) and lignans 7) in addition to volatiles and fatty acids (69). Furthermore, willows exert analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, cytotoxic, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, antiobesity, neuroprotective and hepatoprotective activities. The current review provides an updated summary of the importance of willows, their chemical composition and pharmacological activities.

Keywords: inflammation; medicinal and traditional uses; pharmacology; phytochemistry; salix.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Structures of reported flavonoids from the genus Salix.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Structures of reported phenolic glycosides from genus Salix.
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Structures of reported non-phenolic glycosides from genus Salix.
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 4
Structures of reported organic acids from genus Salix.
FIGURE 5
FIGURE 5
Structures of reported simple phenolics from genus Salix.
FIGURE 6
FIGURE 6
Structures of reported sterols and terpenes from genus Salix.
FIGURE 7
FIGURE 7
Structures of reported lignans from genus Salix.
FIGURE 8
FIGURE 8
Structures of reported volatiles and fatty acids from genus Salix.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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