Introduction: The rapidly growing evergreen trees of the genus Gmelina, a member of the Lamiaceae family, are important plantation species in many tropical regions worldwide. Since ancient times, medicinal plants of this genus have been prized for their therapeutic uses. This review compiles the traditional applications, phytochemical properties, and pharmacological potential of the genus Gmelina. Method: All relevant publications from 2000 to 2024 were considered. Using a variety of pertinent keywords, articles were identified through databases including Google Scholar, PubChem, ChemSpider, PubMed, Elsevier, Wiley, Web of Science, and ResearchGate. Results: This review summarises the literature on traditional knowledge, phytochemistry, and pharmacological activity of Gmelina. Gmelina arborea (Gambhari) is an important component of Dashamula. Its edible fruits have historically been associated with aphrodisiac, memoryenhancing, and rejuvenating properties. Discussion: This review categorizes phytochemicals from various parts of the plant into flavonoids, terpenoids, cyclic fatty acids, phenolic acids, glucosides, polysaccharides, esters, and glycosides. The pharmacological activities reported include antioxidant, anticancer, antimicrobial, neurotropic, anti-inflammatory, antiarthritic, antidiabetic, cardioprotective, hepatoprotective, and other effects. In addition, the review compiles ethnopharmacological information, botanical distribution, and taxonomy of the genus. Conclusion: Phytochemicals from Gmelina species exhibit numerous pharmacological effects, supporting their traditional and ethnobotanical uses. However, many species remain unexplored, and only a few studies have demonstrated the pharmacological efficacy of specific active compounds extracted from these plants. Further research is needed to fully realize their therapeutic potential.
Nooreen et al. (Tue,) studied this question.