Glycosides in Meliaceae and Rutaceae sources: phytochemistry and pharmacological activities

Abstract

Glycosides are widely distributed plant secondary metabolites and constitute an important source of chemical diversity in Meliaceae and Rutaceae families. Therefore, this review aimed to compile glycosides reported from Meliaceae and Rutaceae families over four decades of investigation (1983–2024), covering flavonoid, aromatic, terpenoid, and other structurally distinct groups. Across these classes, reported biological activities included antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic effects, and other activities. The result showed that after comparing available data, biological activity was largely associated with aglycone framework, while glycosylation mainly contributed to structural diversification and influenced physicochemical properties such as solubility and stability. By collecting phytochemical classifications and reported bioactivity data, this review focused on clarifying general trends in glycoside distribution in Meliaceae and Rutaceae, thereby bridging the knowledge gaps in structure–activity relationships and pharmacological evaluation.