Therapeutic Activities and Phytochemical Composition of Helianthus annuus L. Extracts

Abstract

The sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is a plant commonly used in agriculture and the fuel industry, as well as being an ornamental garden plant. However, its biologically active compounds make it an interesting plant for medicinal purposes. This review evaluated the phytochemistry of sunflower leaves, stems, receptacles, flowers, seeds, and sprouts and its pharmacological activities. A search was conducted in the PubMed, Embase, ScienceDirect and Google Scholar in March 2025. This review includes studies on the quantitative phytochemical profile of H. annuus extract and studies that reported some pharmacological activity of sunflower extracts or metabolites. The compounds identified in the parts of the sunflower include phenolic acids, flavonoids, and terpenes, mainly. These classes of metabolites are responsible for the pharmacological effects of the species, especially 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid (chlorogenic acid) and its derivates. Fatty acids, vitamins, alkanes, alkaloids, and benzenoids were also found, but in smaller variations. Studies have reported that the effects of sunflowers include antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antidyslipidemic, hypoglycemic, renal, and colon-protective activity. Thus, sunflowers are plants rich in chemical compounds with pharmacological potential, which can be used as raw materials for the pharmaceutical industry.