Phytochemical and Pharmacological Profile of Diospyros melanoxylon

Background: Plants offer various novel and structurally diverse potential chemical moieties which can be used as drugs or as leads for drug discovery. A comprehensive overview of the genus Diospyros L. (Family: Ebenaceae) is presented. Methods: A through literature search has been carried out using various search engines and all the reported data is incorporated followed by discussion of various selected experimental procedures for extraction, isolation and pharmacological evaluation. Results: The available data supports importance of Diospyros melanoxylon from its traditional medicinal value to advance pharmacognostic and pharmacological studies. Extracts and pure compounds from this genus have been reported for their antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic, antidiabetic, antioxidant, antidiarrheal, and antiprotozoal activities. The medicinal uses section is concluded with details for various isolated chemical constituents. Conclusion: Presence of proteins and amino acids, tannin and phenolic compound, glycoside, sterol and steroids is found to be correlated with different pharmacological activities. The narrative review provide guidelines for the current area of research as well as for future investigations to benefit the field of medicinal and pharmaceutical sciences.