The genus Ageratina (Asteraceae) in America: An insight into its chemistry, and pharmacological potential.

BACKGROUND: Ageratina is an American genus of the tribe Eupatorieae (Asteraceae) comprising about 320 species. In Mexico, some species of this genus are highly valued for their medicinal properties, particularly A. pichinchensis, A. petiolaris and A. grandifolia. Furthermore, herbal preparations of A. pichinchensis are available for treating several mycoses. AIM AND OBJECTIVE: The present review is aimed to summarize the chemical and pharmacological properties of 36 species of Ageratina genus up to April 2022. METHODS: Data were recorded using online scientific databases including Scopus, PubMed, Google Scholar, Taylor and Francis Imprints, National Center for Biotechnology Information, Science Direct, JSTOR, and SciFinder. The information was assembled from research articles, relevant books on herbal medicinal plants and the history of medicinal plants from Mexico, theses, reports, and web pages. RESULTS: The specialized metabolites present in Ageratina genus belong to different chemical classes including flavonoids, benzyl benzoates, benzofurans, chromenes, and terpenoids. The chromenes, benzofurans, and benzyl benzoates are the metabolites most widespread in the genus. So far, the species more thoroughly investigated is A. adenophora. Ageratina has received little attention from the pharmacological point of view. The studies are limited to 10 species. The biological studies have been conducted with extracts and/or compounds isolated from plants collected mainly in China and Mexico. The results revealed that the extracts and metabolites possess several biological activities, which include antiviral, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive, antifeedant, larvicidal, acaricidal, antidiabetic, antiprotozoal, and wound-healing properties. In the case of A. pichinchensis, A. petiolaris, and A. grandifolia, the pharmacological studies provided evidence for their use for treating gastrointestinal complaints and diabetes. Furthermore, herbal preparations of A. pichinchensis are now widely used for alleviating onicomycoses. A. adenophora, endemic to Mexico, is the most investigated species, chemically and biologically, however some hepatotoxicity effect has been recorded. CONCLUSION: This review recapitulates information on the Ageratina genus highlighting on the phytochemistry and biological activities of the species investigated so far. It is important to point out that, the pharmacological potential of this large genus remains largely unexplored.