Phytochemicals and Therapeutic Potential of Polyalthia bullata, P. macropoda, and P. longifolia (Annonaceae)

Alsaid, Sarah Ali Hamid; Jalil, Juriyati; Kamisah, Yusof

doi:10.22034/jmpb.2025.370580.2043

Phytochemicals and Therapeutic Potential of Polyalthia bullata, P. macropoda, and P. longifolia (Annonaceae)

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

¹ Centre for Drug and Herbal Development, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, 50300 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

² Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Cheras, 56000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

10.22034/jmpb.2025.370580.2043

Abstract

Polyalthia is a genus of plants in the Annonaceae family with various bioactive compounds. This review summarizes the main constituents and pharmacological activity of three Polyalthia species, namely, P. bullata, P. longifolia, and P. macropoda. The literature on the phytochemistry and pharmacology of Polyalthia species was searched and reviewed utilizing databases such as PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and Google Scholar. The review revealed that Polyalthia species are rich sources of terpenes and alkaloids with various pharmacological activities. P. longifolia showed the most diverse and potent activities, followed by P. bullata and P. macropoda. The compounds isolated from Polyalthia species exhibited different modes of action, such as inhibiting enzymes, signaling pathways, cell proliferation, and oxidative stress. Therefore, Polyalthia species have great potential as natural sources of bioactive compounds for the treatment and prevention of various diseases. Further research is needed to elucidate the safety, efficacy, and optimal dosage of Polyalthia extracts and compounds, as well as to explore their synergistic effects and possible applications in modern medicine.

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