Phytochemicals and antimicrobial potentials of mahogany family

Abstract

Drug resistance to human infectious diseases caused by pathogens lead to premature deaths throughout the world. Plants are sources for wide variety of drugs used for treating various diseases. System-atic screening of medicinal plants for the search of new antimicrobial drug candidates that can inhibitthe growth of pathogens or kill with no toxicity to host is being continued by many laboratories. Herewe review the phytochemical investigations and biological activities of Meliaceae. The mahogany (Meli-aceae) is family of timber trees with rich source for limonoids. So far, amongst the different membersof Meliaceae, Azadirachta indica and Melia dubia have been identified as the potential plant systemspossessing a vast array of biologically active compounds which are chemically diverse and structurallycomplex. Despite biological activities on different taxa of Meliaceae have been carried out, the informa-tion of antibacterial and antifungal activity is a meager with exception to Azadirachta indica. Together weprovide new insights of Meliaceae members demonstrating as a potential source as antimicrobial agentsusing in vitro studies.