Bioactive Potential of Terpenes from Mediterranean Scrub Plants: A Review

TL;DR

This review explores the bioactive terpenes found in Mediterranean scrub plants and their potential for therapeutic and biotechnological applications.

Contribution

The study identifies and categorizes terpenes from Mediterranean scrub plants, highlighting their synergistic effects and potential for sustainable phytotherapeutic products.

Findings

Mediterranean scrub plants produce a diverse range of terpenes, with monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes being the most prevalent.

Key terpenes like 1,8-cineole and α-pinene show synergistic effects that enhance antimicrobial and neuroprotective properties.

Species such as Rosmarinus officinalis and Lavandula stoecha are rich sources of bioactive terpenes with multiple therapeutic applications.

Abstract

The Mediterranean ecosystem is characterized by marked seasonality; it is composed of species such as shrublands that are subjected to high levels of water and thermal stress, making these species an important source of secondary metabolites of significant chemical and ecological interest. In this work, 21 plants were selected from the Mediterranean scrub. These abundant and characteristic representations of the ecosystem produce a total of 197 terpenes. The majority of these are monoterpenes (46.70%), followed by sesquiterpenes (38.07%), with a minority of diterpenes (5.53%) and triterpenes (10.15%). Tetraterpenes accounted for only 0.5% of the total compounds in the species studied, corresponding to only 1%. The major terpenes include 1,8-cineole, terpinen-4-ol, α-terpineol, borneol, camphor, γ-terpinene, limonene, linalool, o-cymene, α-tujene, α-pinene, β-pinene, sabinene, myrcene, β-phellandrene, and β-caryopylene. Species such as Pistacea terebinthus, Rosmarinus officinalis, Cistus ladanifer, Myrtus communis, Lavandula stoecha, and Thymus mastichina contain the most terpenic compounds in their chemical composition. Furthermore, these metabolites are involved in various biological functions, including antimicrobial, antioxidant, neuroprotective, antibacterial, cardiovascular, analgesic, antitumor, and insecticidal activities, among others. Various terpenes present in Mediterranean scrub species, such as 1,8-cineole, α-pinene, limonene, borneol, and terpinen-4-ol, have demonstrated synergistic effects that enhance their antimicrobial, insecticidal, and neuroprotective properties. These interactions between compounds make the natural extracts more effective than they would be individually, increasing their therapeutic and biotechnological value. The synergism among terpenes suggests a promising approach for developing more effective and sustainable phytotherapeutic products.

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