Phytochemical and biological activities of Pinus halepensis mill., and their ethnomedicinal use

• Published in: Journal of ethnopharmacology 2021-03, Vol.268, p.113661, Article 113661
• Main Authors: El Omari, Nasreddine, Ezzahrae Guaouguaou, Fatima, El Menyiy, Naoual, Benali, Taoufiq, Aanniz, Tariq, Chamkhi, Imane, Balahbib, Abdelaali, Taha, Douae, Shariati, Mohammad Ali, Zengin, Ghokhan, El-Shazly, Mohamed, Bouyahya, Abdelhakim
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Anti-Infective Agents - isolation & purification; Anti-Infective Agents - pharmacology; Anti-Infective Agents - therapeutic use; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - isolation & purification; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - pharmacology; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - therapeutic use; Bioactive compounds; Biological effects; Essential oil; Ethnopharmacology - methods; Humans; Medicine, Traditional - methods; Phytochemicals - isolation & purification; Phytochemicals - pharmacology; Phytochemicals - therapeutic use; Pinaceae; Pinus; Pinus halepensis Mill; Plant Extracts - isolation & purification; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Plant Extracts - therapeutic use; Secondary metabolites; Terpenoids; Traditional use
• ISSN: 0378-8741; 1872-7573
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2020.113661

Pinus halepensis Mill., is a Mediterranean medicinal plant with numerous traditional applications such as anti-scarring, antiseptic, astringent, antifungal, and anti-tuberculosis. It is used against diarrhea, wounds, rheumatism, cough, gastrointestinal illnesses, hypertension, and hemorrhoids. We critically summarized previous reports on the botanical, taxonomical, ecological, geographical distribution, phytochemical, and pharmacological results of P. halepensis Mill. To gather data on P. halepensis Mill., different scientific search engines were consulted such as Google Scholar, Scopus, Wiley Online, Scifinder, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, PubMed. The collected data on P. halepensis Mill., were organised according to ethnomedicinal use, phytochemistry, and pharmacology. Ethnomedicinal studies indicated that P. halepensis Mill., is used as a protective remedy against respiratory and digestive disorders, arterial hypertension, microbial infections. These medicinal uses vary based on the part used and regions. The extracts and essential oils of P. halepensis Mill., demonstrated several biological effects including antimicrobial, antidiabetic anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic, antiparasitic, and hepatoprotective. Traditional uses and biological effects of P. halepensis Mill., were attributed to the numerous molecules that belong to different chemical classes such as terpenoids, phenolic acids, flavonoids, fatty acids and steroids, aldehydes and ketones. In vitro and in vivo investigations of P. halepensis Mill., extracts and essential oils showed interesting pharmacological activities supporting the traditional use of this species. Previous reports indicated that P. halepensis Mill., extracts and their constituents exhibited potent antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, protective, anticoagulant, anti-hemolytic, and anti-inflammatory effects. Further investigation is needed to reveal the full biological spectra of P. halepensis Mill., extracts and essential oils (using in vivo models) and to validate their industrial applications as a food additive. However, in-depth studies are required to investigate the biological properties and molecular mechanisms of P. halepensis Mill., secondary metabolites in the management of diabetes mellitus and the prevention of the neurodegenerative disorders development such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Studies exploring pharmacological effects of P. halepensis Mill., bioactive components such as the antim