A systematic review of the essential oils and biological activities of the genus Lindera (Lauraceae)

The genus Lindera consists of approximately 100 species that are widely distributed in tropical and subtropical areas throughout the world. It is represented by widely wellknown medicinal and aromatic plants that produce essential oil. This review attempts to summarise the information on the essential oils of Lindera species together with their chemical composition and biological properties. The data and information were collected via an electronic search engine, namely: Scopus, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, PubMed, and SciFinder.A total of thirteen Lindera species have been reported for their essential oils and biological activities. Sesquiterpenes were identified as the major group components in Lindera species with the presence mainly of beta-caryophyllene, as well as monoterpenes which were dominated by limonene, alpha-copaene, alpha-pinene, and 1,8-cineole. In addition, the Lindera essential oils also displayed various biological activities including anti-allergic, anti-arthritic, antivirus, antibacterial, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, and cytotoxicity. The outcome of these studies will further support the therapeutic potential of the genus Lindera and provide convincing evidence for its future clinical applications in modern medicine.