The chemistry of the Meliaceae and Ptaeroxylaceae of Southern and Eastern Africa and Madagascar

The Meliaceae family is well represented in Southern and Eastern Africa and Madagascar. Plants range in size from magnificent forest trees to small sh rubs. Certain species are important as timber trees and they have wide-rang ing uses in ethnomedicine in the region, prompting extensive investigation. Twenty-two of the fifty-one genera of the Meliaceae occur in the geographi c area under review, and, of these, the chemistry of forty-four species, fr om nineteen genera, has been investigated. Compounds isolated include limon oids, mono-, di-, sesqui-, and triterpenoids, coumarins, chromones, lignans , flavonoids and other phenolics. Relatively few of the compounds and extracts from these species have been s creened for biological activity, probably due to the limited screening faci lities available in the area. However, properties including cytotoxicity ag ainst tumour cell lines, insect anti-feedant and anti-malarial activity, an d uterotonic activity suggest that further extensive biological screening o f compounds from this family is warranted. The similar chemistry of the genera Ptaeroxylon and Cedrelopsis support the ir grouping together in the distinct family Ptaeroxylaceae. Examination of the chemistry of species from this family suggests a close relationship wit h the Cneoraceae family.