Mallotus philippensis (Lam.) Müll. Arg.: A review on its pharmacology and phytochemistry

Abstract

Kamala tree (Mallotus philippensis) is traditionally used by different ethnic groups to treat a variety of diseases and health ailments. However, these traditional uses need to be scientifically investigated and validated in order to develop drugs from this tree. Therefore, the present article is aimed to review the scientifically validated knowledge on the pharmacology and phytochemistry of the tree. To accomplish this, we extensively surveyed the available databases like Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, NCBI including PubMed and PubChem, etc. by using keywords ‘Mallotus philippensis’, ‘Mallotus phillippinensis’ and ‘Mallotus philippinensis’. Our results indicated that the tree possesses more than 50 different types of important phytochemicals of natural origin. The wide array of phytochemicals possesses fascinating biological activities like anthelmintic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-cancerous, anti-tuberculosis, anti-parasitic, analgesic, anti-urolithiatic and anti-viral activities. Thus, pharmacological activities and isolation of active phytochemicals make the tree a promising candidate for drug discovery. However, pharmacological activities such as antibacterial and anti-oxidant activities are often tested with crude extracts and in vitro rudimentary methods that can be sometimes misleading and non-specific. Thus, more sophisticated techniques may be applied for the isolation of active chemicals and elucidating their mechanism of actions.

Pharmacokinetic Assessment of Rottlerin from Mallotus philippensis Using a Highly Sensitive Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry-Based Bioanalytical Method

“…Mallotus philippensis (Kamala tree) is a widely used medicinal herb that belongs to the family of Euphorbiaceae . It has been traditionally used as an anticancer, antiviral, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, and so on and so forth . Rottlerin is the main bioactive phytoconstituent present in the pericarp of this plant.…”

Various Natural Dyes from Different Sources

“…A red and orange powder may be used for coloring wool and silk with vivid orange and goldenyellow colours, thanks to the drying fruit capsula kamala (Mallottus phillipensis, see the chemical structure in Figure 12. With moderate quickness, cotton colours are not very excellent [37].…”

Accessing the Medicinal Potential of Mallotus philippensis: Comprehensive Exploration of Antioxidant and Antibacterial Properties through Phytochemical Analysis and Extraction Techniques

“…Alternatively called Kampillakah, Kamala is commonly used as an orally administered medicinal substance. This botanical specimen has a longstanding application history due to its anthelmintic and purgative properties [10,11]. In the northern regions of Thailand, the fruits and bark have assumed multifaceted roles in traditional medicine and as a reservoir of natural dye.…”