JOURNAL OF CLINICAL AND BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES

Article

Journal of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences

Year: 2025, Volume: 15, Issue: 4, Pages: 306-312

Review Article

A Comprehensive Review on Medicinal Value and Pharmacological Profile of Simarouba Amara [Abul]

Received Date:14 August 2024, Accepted Date:27 September 2025, Published Date:31 December 2025

Abstract

Simarouba amara is a tree species from the Simaroubaceae family, native to the rainforests, savannahs, and Caribbean regions of Central and South America. This study provides a comprehensive review of the medicinal and pharmacological profile of S. amara. The plant's leaves and bark have been traditionally used to treat various ailments, including malaria, diarrhea, and dysentery 1. Phytochemical analysis reveals the presence of quassinoids, a class of triterpenes, which are responsible for the plant's therapeutic properties. Some of them are Ailanthinone, glaucarubinone, and holacanthone which are the principle biologically active phytochemical constituents present in S. amara. It possesses therapeutic qualities; Pharmacologically have been employed as an “anthelminthic, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, anorectic, tonic, insecticide, antimalarial, antimicrobial, anti-amoebic, hepatoprotective, analgesic, antipyretic, antidiarrheal, anti-bacterial, gastroprotective, antileukemic, astringent, febrifuge and skin hydrator”.

Keywords: <i>Simarouba amara</i>, Pharmacological activities, Phytochemical analysis, Medicinal value

References

1. Pardise tree [simarouba amara ]. Available from: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/291679-Simarouba-amara

2. Simarouba amara. Available from: https://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Simarouba+amara

3. Alves IABS, Miranda HM, Soares LAL, Randau KR. Simaroubaceae family: botany, chemical composition and biological activities. Revista Brasileira de Farmacognosia. 2014; 24 (4). Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bjp.2014.07.021

4. Hardesty BD, Dick CW, Kremer A, Hubbell S, Bermingham E. Spatial genetic structure of <I>Simarouba amara</I> Aubl. (Simaroubaceae), a dioecious, animal-dispersed Neotropical tree, on Barro Colorado Island, Panama. Heredity. 2005; 95 (4). Available from: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.hdy.6800714

5. Wright CW, Neill MJO, Phillipson DJ, Warhurst DC. Use of microdilution to assess in vitro antiamoebic activities of <I>Brucea javanica</I> fruits, <I>Simarouba amara</I> stem, and a number of quassinoids. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. 1988; 32 (11). Available from: https://doi.org/10.1128/aac.32.11.1725

6. Hegde V, Nagaraj N, Gowda SK, Nayaka BT. Antibacterial and antidiarrheal activity of <I>Simarouba amara</I> (Aubl.): bark. Journal of Applied Pharmaceutical Science. 2019; 9 (5). Available from: https://doi.org/10.7324/japs.2019.90511

7. Hegde V, Nagaraj N, Gowda SK, Nayaka BT. Biological activity of <I>Simarouba amara</I> (Aubl.) bark. Research Journal of Pharmacy and Technology. 2020; 13 (9). Available from: https://doi.org/10.5958/0974-360x.2020.00735.0

8. Bonte F, Barre P, Pinguet P, Dusser I, Dumas M, Meybeck A. <I>Simarouba amara</I> extract increases human skin keratinocyte differentiation. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 1996; 53 (2). Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/s0378-8741(96)01423-7

9. Thiagarajan V, Thiyagarajan S. Testing <I>Simarouba amara</I>’s therapeutic effects against weedicide-induced tumor-like morphology in planarians. Journal of Emerging Investigators. 2024; 7 (7). Available from: https://doi.org/10.59720/23-174

10. Jayashanthini S, Muraugan K. Phytochemical screening of <I>Simarouba amara</I> seed oil: a potent mosquitoicidal effect against malarial vector, <I>Anopheles stephensi</I>. <I>International Journal of Entomology Research</I>. 2022;7(8):30-36.

11. Maranhao HML, Vasconcelos CFB, Rolim LA, Neto PRJ, Neto JDC, Filho RDC, <I>et al</I>. Hepatoprotective effect of the aqueous extract of <I>Simarouba amara</I> Aublet (Simaroubaceae) stem bark against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced hepatic damage in rats. Molecules. 2014; 19 (11). Available from: https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules191117735

12. Costa J, Joao LR, Costa-Silva H. Acute and subacute toxicities of the <I>Simarouba amara</I> Aublet stem bark. International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research. 2014; 5 (12). Available from: https://doi.org/10.13040/ijpsr.0975-8232.5(10).5430-37

13. Neill MJO, Bray DH, Boardman P, Wright CW, Phillipson DJ, Warhurst DC, <I>et al</I>. Plants as sources of antimalarial drugs, part 6: Activities of Simarouba amara fruits. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 1988; 22 (2). Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/0378-8741(88)90126-2

14. Dugganaboyana GK, Eranna CK. Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles by using <I>Simarouba amara</I> Aubl. fruit extract and their antioxidant and antibacterial activities. International Journal of Drug Delivery Technology. 2017; 7 (03). Available from: https://doi.org/10.25258/ijddt.v7i03.9557

15. Vikas B, Akhil BS, Suja SR, Sujatha K. An exploration of phytochemicals from Simaroubaceae. Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention. 2017; 18 (7). Available from: https://doi.org/10.22034/APJCP.2017.18.7.1765

16. Polonsky J, Baskevitch-Varon Z, Das BC.. Triterpenes tetracycliques du <I>Simarouba amara</I>. Phytochemistry. 1976; 15 (2). Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/s0031-9422(00)89027-5

17. Grosvenor SNJ, Mascoll K, McLean S, Reynoldes WF, Tinto WF. Tirucalane, apotirucallane, and octanorapotirucallane triterpenes of <I>Simarouba amara</I>. Journal of Natural Products. 2006; 69 (9). Available from: https://doi.org/10.1021/np060214f

18. Polonsky J, Varon Z, Jacquemin H, Pettit GR. The isolation and structure of 13,18-dehydroglaucarubinone, a new antineoplastic quassinoid from <I>Simarouba amara</I>. Experientia. 1978; 34 (9). Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/bf01922904

19. Dou J, Khin IA, McChesney JD, Burandt CL Jr. Qualitative and quantitative high-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of quassinoids in Simaroubaceae plants. Phytochemical Analysis. 1996; 7 (4). Available from: https://doi.org/10.1002/(sici)1099-1565(199607)7:4<192::aid-pca303>3.0.co;2-z

Copyright

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Published By Sri Devaraj Urs Academy of Higher Education, Kolar, Karnataka

DON'T MISS OUT!

Subscribe now for latest articles and news.