Pharmacological and phytochemical properties of the genus Buxus: A review

Background: Buxus plants have been used in traditional medicine for a very long time. The Buxus genus has been used to cure a variety of illnesses. Objective: This review aimed to provide a literature review on the genus Buxus including its biological and phytochemical properties. Materials and methods: The current study was conducted using several scientific databases. Correct plant names were verified from plantlist.org. The results of this search were interpreted, analyzed, and documented based on the obtained bibliographic information. Results: Within all the species of the family Buxaceae, 5 species of the genus Buxus are reported to be antibacterial, 3 species have been found to be antioxidant, 5 species are cytotoxic, 1 species is anti-inflammatory, 1 species is antidiabetic, and 4 species are antifungal. Alkaloids, terpenoids, tannins, flavonoids, peptides, and phenolic compounds are the main chemical components of this genus. The study of >11 Buxuss pecies has identified >201 compounds. Pharmacological research has demonstrated that crude extracts and some pure compounds obtained from Buxus have several pharmacological activities such as antibacterial, antioxidant, cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, and antifungal. Based on the study of the phytochemistry of Buxus species, it was concluded that all the studied plants have active compounds, among which 55 molecules showed interesting activities. Conclusions: The numerous traditional uses of Buxus species have been supported by several studies. Before Buxus plants can be fully employed clinically, further research is necessary.