Insights on Different Teucrium Species Grown in Egypt; An integrated Review on Their Secondary Metabolites, Traditional Uses and Biological Activities

Abstract

Background Teucrium genus, a diverse and extensive group of plants belonging to the Lamiaceae family, is predominantly found in temperate zones, particularly the Mediterranean basin, including Egypt. Extensive research on Teucrium species has revealed a substantial presence of neo-clerodane diterpenoids, serving as significant chemotaxonomic markers for the genus. The essential oils (EOs) extracted from those plants have gained notable attention together with phenolic acids and flavonoidal constituents. Within the Teucrium genus, six species are recurrently utilized in Egyptian traditional medicine: Teucrium brevifolium Schreb. (T. brevifolium), Teucrium decaisnei C. Presl (T. decaisnei), Teucrium fruticans L. (T. fruticans), Teucrium leucocladum Boiss. (T. Leucocladum), Teucrium polium L. (T. polium) and Teucrium jordanicum (Danin) Faried (T. jordanicum). This review aims to provide a thorough overview of the traditional uses, phytochemical composition and biological activities associated with the aforementioned species. Conclusion Throughout history, members of this genus have been widely used in traditional medicine owing to their multifaceted beneficial properties, encompassing antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, insecticidal, and anti-malarial effects, specially Teucrium polium L. which has been used either to be crushed with honey or eaten before breakfast to control hemorrhoids, applied topically as a hemostatic agent and to heal from sunstroke, used as a boiled decoction with water after breakfast to improve stomach problems and rheumatic diseases and as an infusion to regulate blood lipids and sugars.