Cedrela and Toona genera: a rich source of bioactive limonoids and triterpenoids

Cedrela P. Browne is a genus of trees, strictly related to Toona, in the Meliaceae, a family of flowering plants in the order Sapindales, which is among the most diverse sources of secondary metabolites in the Angiospermae. The most abundant metabolites in these genera are limonoids, tetranortriterpenes possessing diverse structural features, apotirucallanes, tirucallanes, and other triterpenes. The chemical constituents isolated from the genera Cedrela and Toona over the past decades, together with their biological activities, have been compiled in this article. The allelochemical and the phytotoxic activity of limonoids and triterpenoids seem to play a crucial role in the ecological function of these metabolites. While, the most promising use in human field seems related to their antimalarial and anti-inflammatory effects, even that further investigation are still needed.