Phytopharmacology of Toona Ciliata: a Review

Toona ciliata is the plant mainly distributed in sub Himalayan tract. Traditionally, it is useful in chronic dysentery, leprosy, cures fever, headache, blood complaints, cardiotonic, aphrodisiac, and ulcer. Toona ciliata is traditionally used in menstrual disorders. The phytoconstituents present in the plants including triterpenoids, cedrelone, polyynes, limonoids, siderin, steroids etc. Pharmacologically the plant Toona ciliata has been investigated for its anti-ulcer activity, analgesic activity, antifungal activity, antimicrobial activity and antitumor activity. The plant also possesses gastroprotective and cytotoxic activity. Steroids can be used medicinally as cardiotonic, growth promoter, anti-tumor, antifungal, hepatoprotective, antimicrobial, anti-tussive etc. Terpenoids presents in Toona ciliata were evaluated for the cytotoxic & anti-inflammatory activity in human cancer cell lines. Coumarin containing plants were tested for their antimicrobial and phototoxic activities. Coumarins have a variety of bioactivities including anticoagulant, estrogenic, dermal photosensitizing, anti-microbial, vasodilator, molluscacidal, antihelmintic, sedative and hypnotic, analgesic and hypothermic activity. Polyphenols are most abundant anti-oxidant in human diet. The phenolic compounds are divided into phenolic acids, flavonoids, lignans and stilbenes. Tannins may be employed medicinally in antidiarrheal, haemostatic, and antihemorrhoidal compounds. They have been also reported to have anti-viral, antibacterial, and antiparasitic effects. Flavonoids exhibit several biological effects such as anti-hepatotoxic, anti-inflammatory and anti-ulcer activity.