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Plant Science Today (PST)

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Early Access

Phytochemistry of Chukrasia tabularis A. Juss: A reservoir of bioactive compounds with ecological and economic importance

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.8300
Submitted
16 March 2025
Published
08-09-2025
Versions

Abstract

Chukrasia tabularis A. Juss, a lesser-known species from the Meliaceae family, is gaining attention for its rich phyto-pharmaceutical potential conferred by its bioactive compounds, namely, limonoids, flavonoids, tannins and essential oils. Widely used in traditional medicine systems like Ayurveda, Siddha and Chinese medicine, because this plant possesses numerous therapeutic properties like that of antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antimalarial and cytotoxic. It is historically used and its phytochemical composition and pharmacological properties have not been explored fairly in science. Studies in recent years have demonstrated that C. tabularis bark, leaves, seeds and wood are rich in bioactivity especially in the fight against microbial infections and cancer. The plant extracts were found to have antimicrobial activity against a wide range of bacterial and fungal strains; hence the plant has potential for natural antimicrobial agent. In addition, its limonoid rich extracts are cytotoxic properties and could be used as anticancer agents targeting different cancer cell lines and overcoming multidrug resistance (MDR). In addition, these therapeutic benefits may include chronic inflammatory and oxidative stress-related diseases due to the plant’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. C. tabularis has a wide range of medicinal uses, but it is also important in agriculture and forestry due to its use as a biopesticide, soil enhancer and natural dye supplier. It also has high quality timber and serves the country’s ecological and economic importance. Nevertheless, more complex toxicity assessments and clinical trials are needed to verify them safety and therapeutic potential. This review highlights the importance of further research on combining C. tabularis into current pharmaceutical and sustainable mechanisms and the in-depth studies on C. tabularis to support its integration into modern medicine, pharmaceuticals and sustainable industries.

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