Recent Advances in Antibacterial, Antiprotozoal and Antifungal Trends of Eurycoma longifolia: A Review of Therapeutic Implications and Future Prospects.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Eurycoma longifolia (E. longifolia) has gained widespread recognition due to its versatile pharmacological activities including aphrodisiac, anticancer, antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anxiolytic, anti-diabetic, ergogenic, insecticidal, anti-rheumatism, bone protection, and anti-ulcer effects.

OBJECTIVE:

This review was aimed to critically overview the literature and summarizes the antibacterial, antiprotozoal, and antifungal trends of E. longifolia and its medicinally active components.

RESULTS:

Besides its well-documented safety, efficacy, and tolerability, a plethora of in vitro, in vivo, and human clinical studies has evidenced the antimicrobial efficacy of E. longifolia and its bioactive constituents. Phytochemical screening of various types of extracts (methanolic, ethyl acetate, and nbutanolic) from different parts (roots, stem, and leaves) of E. longifolia displayed a dose-dependent antibacterial, antiprotozoal, and antifungal responses. Comparative analysis revealed that the root extract of E. longifolia exhibited the highest antimicrobial efficacy compared to other parts of the plant. Bioactivity-guided fractionation identified that among all of the medicinal compounds isolated/ extracted from different parts of E. longifolia, eurycomanone displayed the strongest antibacterial, antiprotozoal and antifungal activities.

CONCLUSION:

Based on the critical analysis of the literature, we identified that E. longifolia exhibits promising antibacterial, antiprotozoal, and antifungal efficacies against various pathogenic microbes and thus can be considered as a potential complementary and alternative antimicrobial therapy.

• Authors: Hnin Ei Thu, Zahid Hussain, Isa Naina Mohamed, Ahmad Nazrun Shuid
• Journal: Current drug targets (Curr Drug Targets) Vol. 19 Issue 14 Pg. 1657-1671 ( 2018) ISSN: 1873-5592 [Electronic] United Arab Emirates
• PMID: 29468964 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Review)
• Copyright: Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at [email protected].

Chemical References

• Anti-Bacterial Agents
• Antifungal Agents
• Antiprotozoal Agents
• Phytochemicals

Topics

• Anti-Bacterial Agents (chemistry, pharmacology)
• Antifungal Agents (chemistry, pharmacology)
• Antiprotozoal Agents (chemistry, pharmacology)
• Eurycoma (chemistry)
• Phytochemicals (chemistry, pharmacology)
• Plant Leaves (chemistry)
• Plant Roots (chemistry)
• Plant Stems (chemistry)