Erythrina suberosa: Ethnopharmacology, Phytochemistry and Biological Activities

Abstract

Plants are a great and irreplaceable source of medicines, fuel, food, energy and even cosmetics. Since prehistory, humans have learned to use plants for survival, growth and proliferation and still today it relies on natural and cultivated vegetables for food and the source of novel compounds with pharmacological activity. Not only herbs and flowers, but also trees are used. Indeed, Erythrina suberosa Roxb. is a deciduous tree of the family Fabaceae, common in Southeast Asia. In India, E. suberosa is called the “corky coral tree” or simply the “Indian coral tree”, given its peculiar red-orange flowers that can flower throughout the year and its corky irregular bark covered by prickles. It is a plant commonly used as an ornamental tree, but it also holds ethnopharmacological and socioeconomic uses. This article explored phytobiological features of E. suberosa, analysing its taxonomy, examining its traditional and common uses and investigating its bioactive components and pharmacological properties.

Impact of Natural Compounds on Neurodegenerative Disorders: From Preclinical to Pharmacotherapeutics

“…Therefore, there is a high demand for the discovery of novel therapies and neuroprotective agents to prevent and retard the progression of NDDs [6]. Recently, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) has been increasingly used as a non-invasive imaging technique for evaluating cortical function in patients with strokes and NDDs, to better understand the neurological changes produced and to apply a personalized treatment [7]. TMS has also showed efficacy in promoting clinical recovery after stroke and NDDs, the latter including vascular and post-stroke dementias, but this applicability is still in its infancy [1,8].…”

“…Man's reliance on nature for treating illness predates recorded history, and the plant kingdom is one of the most important sources of medicines [3][4][5][6][7][8][9]. The medicinal properties of plants are mostly ascribed to secondary phytochemical metabolites [10].…”

Traditional Medicinal Uses, Phytoconstituents, Bioactivities, and Toxicities of Erythrina abyssinica Lam. ex DC. (Fabaceae): A Systematic Review

“…e epithet ''abyssinica'' means ''from Ethiopia'' [5]. e Erythrina genus houses at least 120 species distributed mainly in tropical and subtropical zones [6]. Plants in this genus are usually referred to as "coral trees" due to their red flowers and branches that resemble the shape of sea coral [7].…”