Rosanoid diterpenoids: structural diversity, classification and biological activities

Rosanoid diterpenoids, including ent-rosane and rosane diterpenoids, are structurally unique and bioactive subclass diterpenes characterized by a tricyclic carbon skeleton. This work aims to provide a comprehensive review of the literature on these diterpenoids from 1975. to September 2025., including their occurrence, structural diversity, and biological activities.

An extensive literature search was conducted through scientific databases (ScienceDirect, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar) and publishers' webpages (Elsevier, Wiley, ACS, RSC, Taylor & Francis, Springer, Bentham, Thieme, and MDPI), covering reports from 1975 to September 2025.

Rosanoid diterpenoids have been isolated from various natural sources, including fungi, liverworts, and higher plant families such as Euphorbiaceae, Lamiaceae, Alismataceae, Asteraceae, Velloziaceae, and Celastraceae. They are predominantly found in Euphorbia species, revealing their chemotaxonomic relevance to the Euphorbiaceae family. These compounds exhibit extensive structural diversity, encompassing a broad spectrum of biological activities, including anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiviral, cytotoxic, enzyme-inhibitory, neuroactive, and anti-adipogenic effects.

The reported findings highlight the chemical variability and pharmacological potential of rosanoid diterpenoids, making them promising building blocks for future drug discovery and natural product development. However, further studies are warranted to explore their pharmacokinetics, mechanisms of action, safety profiles, and biosynthetic pathways.