Phytochemistry, traditional uses, and pharmacology of the genus Ekebergia (Meliaceae): A review

Ekebergia (Meliaceae) is a genus of flowering shrubs and trees widely distributed in the African continent. It is represented by four species namely E. capensis Sparrm, E. benguelensis Welw. ex C.DC, E. pterophylla (C.DC.) Hofmeyr and E. pumila I.M.Johnst. The information for this review has been collected via a survey performed through several online libraries including the Plantlist, Jstor, Scifinder, PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science and Dictionary of Natural Products. So far, about 69 distinct compounds have been isolated during the previous phytochemical studies of Ekebergia genus plants. These compounds belong to diverse classes of metabolites such as limonoids, triterpenoids, coumarins, steroids, alkaloids, stilbenes and phenolic compounds. Some of these isolates displayed various bioactivities including antiplasmodial, antimicrobial, antiproliferative or uterotonic activities. This review covers the traditional uses, the phytochemical and pharmacological investigations of the genus Ekebergia over the last four decades (1980 to 2020).