Acanthaceae-derived bioactive compounds – Unravelling their therapeutic potential and insights into in silico antiviral applications: A systematic review

Medicinal plants have long been explored for their therapeutic potential, yet many remain unexplored. The scope is still wide open in flowering plant families such as Acanthaceae, which are traditionally used in folk and Ayurveda medicine. The Acanthaceae family is diverse and widespread across all continents. Although experimental evidence from several traditional medicinal systems is available for these plants, information on the major bioactive secondary metabolites, sources, parts used, medicinal properties and their mechanism of action has not been documented in the literature. This comprehensive review provides information on 116 bioactive compounds from 26 Acanthaceae species. Phytochemicals such as flavonoids, terpenoids, iridoids, and phenolics exhibit strong therapeutic potential. The integration of in silico approaches, including molecular docking and dynamic simulations, has increased the identification of antiviral agents, such as andrographolide, which target viral RNA synthesis by targeting key enzymes. Compounds such as apigenin, acacetin-7-O-β-D-glucoside, and ciliatoside A have promising applications in diabetes management, Alzheimer's disease treatment, and hepatitis B virus inhibition. Furthermore, commercial herbal products of Acanthaceae species, such as Andrographis paniculata and Adhatodda vasica (syn. Justicia adhatoda), are utilized in different countries for the treatment of respiratory diseases. Despite these promising findings, challenges such as bioavailability and clinical validation remain. Future research should focus on in vivo studies and standardized formulations to establish the efficacy of these compounds, ultimately contributing to novel drug discovery and global healthcare advancements.