Genus Hypericum: General Properties, Chemical Contents and Biological Activities

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Plants of the Hypericum L. genus are widely distributed with several identified species all over the world. In addition to their nutritional properties, plants of the Hypericum L. genus are also noteworthy for their pharmacological properties. These plants have long been a part of traditional medicine in many nations. The present work presents a brief review about Hypericum species; their general characteristics, bioactivities, and phytochemical composition as reported in the published literature. From the researches reviewed during the current work, it was confirmed that Hypericum species contain high levels of antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancer activities in terms of biological activity which enables the species to be commonly used in the fight against diseases. The plant species were also reported to contain appreciate concentrations of important minerals including iron, zinc, calcium and sodium. Many biological activities such as antihyperglycemic, anticancer, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, hepatoprotective activities, acetylcholinesterase and monoamine oxidase inhibitory properties are exhibited by Hypericum species. Additionally, it has been concluded that the most commonly reported chemical bioactive compounds found in Hypericum species are caryophyllene (1), caryophyllene oxide (2), germacrene-D (3), limonene (4), spathulenol (5), β-pinene (6), α-pinene (7), γ-muurolene (8), β-selinene (9), and δ-cadinene (10). Taking all of this information into account, it is clear that Hypericum plant species offer potential medicinal benefits in addition to their nutritional worth.