Around 300 species of the family Lamiaceae, belonging to the genus Teucrium , occur in temperate zones. The species of Teucrium are traditionally used in the treatment of various diseases, such as gastrointestinal disorders, inflammation, diabetes, and bacterial infections. The species have a rich phytochemical profile, which is most notably marked by a number of secondary metabolites like flavonoids, diterpenes, phenylpropanoids, iridoids, and essential oils, which are important due to their ethnomedicinal significance. Because of their intricate chemical composition (monoterpenes, i.e., α-pinene, β-pinene, limonene, sesquiterpenes, and other oxygenated compounds that maintain their biological activities), essential oils isolated from the plants of Teucrium species have been extensively explored. In recent research, multiple bioactive constituents have been reported by phytochemical studies, further attesting to the medicinal significance of the genus. Notably, plant species in the genus Teucrium possess great promise as pesticides. Teucrium essential oils and extracts offer great potential for bioecological systems of pest management since they have come forward with eminent insecticidal, larvicidal, antifeedant, and antifungal activity. The present review presents a comprehensive overview of the traditional information, phytocompounds, essential oil chemistry, and pesticide usage of Teucrium species to present a view of their pharmaceutical importance to readers. In addition, it points to the lacunae in present research and provides suggestions for future work to investigate novel bioactive compounds, to purify and elucidate modes of action, and to examine aerotherapeutics and agricultural applications of Teucrium species.
Kimta et al. (Sun,) studied this question.