A Review of Medicinal Plants of the Genus Cordia : their Chemistry and Pharmacological Uses

The plants of genus Cordia comprise of trees and shrubs which are widely distributed in warmer regions. The plants of this species have long been used in traditional and folk medicine for treating various illnesses. Some plants in this species were exhaustively explored and some others are yet to be. Substantial progresses on their chemical and pharmacological properties of some species have been made. In India, the fruits of this species are consumed as vegetable. The pharmacological studies carried out with extracts and purified compounds indicates that the plants of Cordia species posses analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiviral and antifertility activities. Various compounds like flavonoids, triterpenes, tannins, alkaloids and fatty acids possessing wide range of bioactivities were isolated from different plant parts of Cordia species. Based on these reports it is clearly indicated that the plants of Cordia genus possess potential therapeutic actions.