Secoiridoids biological activities

ABSTRACTS The iridoid and secoiridoid derivatives of Oleaceae have been grouped regarding structural similarities. The biosynthetic routes leading to these compounds and their most relevant biological activities, described up to now, have also been reviewed. 

In this work, we want to keep the structures of the iridoids and secoiridoids which are present in Oleaceae, their biosynthesis and the biological activities, so far described, up to date. 

In order to explain and confirm the biological activities claimed by the traditional medicine, and to search for new biologically active compounds we studied the antimicrobial, antioxidative, immunomodulatory, antiinflammatory, skin-regenerating and antiviral properties of Fraxinus ornus bark extract and its components. In a parallel detailed phytochemical investigation of the extract we isolated and determined the structures of many hydroxycoumarins, secoiridoid glucosides, caffeoyl esters of phenylethanoid glycosides, lignans and other phenolic compounds. 

Iridoids and secoiridoids show a wide variety of biological and pharmacological activities which have been reviewed by Ghisalbert [6] up to 1998. We report here a review of the most relevant compounds of this type isolated from Oleaceae. 

Ghisalberti, E.L. (1998) Biological and pharmacological activity of naturally occurring iridoids and secoiridoids. Phytomedicine, 5,147 163. 

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