Bis-Iridoids: Occurrence, Chemophenetic Evaluation and Biological Activities-A Review

Area of Science:

• Natural Products Chemistry
• Phytochemistry
• Medicinal Chemistry

Background:

• Bis-iridoids represent a significant class of plant-derived secondary metabolites.
• Their structural diversity and occurrence across various plant species are notable.
• Understanding bis-iridoids is crucial for exploring novel therapeutic agents.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive review of bis-iridoids.
• To detail their occurrence, chemophenetic significance, and biological activities.
• To identify knowledge gaps and suggest future research directions.

Main Methods:

• Literature review and data compilation.
• Structural analysis of identified bis-iridoids.
• Summary of reported biological activities and chemophenetic markers.

Main Results:

• 288 bis-iridoids have been identified, primarily linked seco-iridoid units.
• Key structural types include those based on catalpol, loganin, and others.
• 159 bis-iridoids have been evaluated for biological effects, showing varied activities.

Conclusions:

• Bis-iridoids exhibit diverse structures and biological activities, including enzymatic, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antitumoral, and anti-inflammatory effects.
• Certain bis-iridoids serve as valuable chemophenetic markers.
• Further research is needed to fully elucidate the potential of bis-iridoids.