Phytochemistry and biological activity of family "Urticaceae": a review (1957-2019)

Abstract

Family Urticaceae is a major family of angiosperms comprises 54 genera and more than 2000 species of herbs, shrubs, small trees and a few vines distributed in the tropical regions. Family Urticaceae has many biological importance of angiosperms due to its various phytoconstituents and valuable medicinal uses. Reviewing the current available literature showed many reports about the phytoconstituents present in many plants of the family Urticaceae. These constituents include triterpenes, sterols, flavonoids, lignans, sesquiterpenes, alkaloids, simple phenolic compounds and miscellaneous compounds which are responsible for its biological activities such as cytotoxic, antimicrobial (antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral) anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antibenign prostatic hyperplasia, hepatoprotective, antioxidant as well as wound healing. Genus Urtica is the most investigated (phytochemically and biologically) in all genera of family "Urticaceae". Very few literature was found in phytochemical and biological studies on many genera of family "Urticaceae". This provoked the researchers to carry out extensive studies on these plants.

Observations on the Productivity of Breeding Specimens of Urtica dioica L. from European Russian Ecotopes in Comparison with the Breeding Variety under Field Crop Conditions

“…Research [2] on the possibility of using innovative botanical extracts as biostimulants for plant growth and development to improve nutritional value showed beneficial effects of foliar application of botanical extracts from Urtica dioica L. on growth and development of model vegetable (cabbage) seedlings. Chitosan, horsetail (Equisetum arvense L.), and nettle (Urtica dioica L.) have also been shown to be effective in protecting against fungal pathogens and controlling grapevine trunk disease (GTD) [8,9].…”