A Review on Chemical Constituents and Pharmacological Action of the Genus Lindera

The genus Lindera consists of approximately 100 species that are widely distributed in tropical and subtropical areas throughout the world. It is represented by widely well-known medicinal and aromatic plants that produce various phytochemicals with potential pharmacological actions. This review attempts to summarize the information on the phytochemicals of Lindera species together with their biological properties. The data and information were collected via an electronic search engine which are Scopus, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, PubMed, and SciFinder. Sesquiterpenes represent the major chemical compounds that have been characterised in Lindera species, as well as alkaloids, flavonoids, and phenolics. These compounds were shown to possess anticancer, antifibrotic, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antioxidant, anti-arthritic, cytotoxic, antiallergic, and antihyperlipidemic properties. The outcome of these studies will further support the therapeutic potential of the genus Lindera and provide convincing evidence for its future clinical applications in modern medicine.