Anthraquinones as Bioactive Agents: Recent Trends and Developments in Phytotherapy

Anthraquinones are organic compounds and members of the Quinone family comprising 9, 10-anthracenedione core. Anthraquinone is a chemical scaffold that has been employed for many years in a variety of therapeutic applications such as antimicrobial, anticancer, diuretic, anti-inflammatory, and phytoestrogen activities. Anthraquinones are commonly produced as secondary metabolites in various higher plant species (senna, buckthorn, yellow dock) or they can either be synthesized using chemical routes such as the condensation of 1, 4-naphthoquinone with butadiene, naphthalene oxidation, anthracene oxidation, etc. Anthraquinones are used in various traditional and ethnomedical processes for the treatment of acute as well as chronic illness and are nowadays employed in modern pharmaceutical markets as a key bioactive agent. Hence, due to these properties, anthraquinone-based compounds are widely used in phytotherapy. Anthraquinones are unique in terms of their structure, chemical stability, biological properties, and industrial applications among all reported quinones, making them valuable in a wide range of drug formulations. The in-depth studies regarding the role of anthraquinones using in vitro and in vivo models need to be extensively explored for bioactive and phytotherapy applications. In addition to this, the safety and toxicity assessment need to be thoroughly investigated. The knowledge regarding its biochemical structure can pave the way to understanding its physiological and toxicological properties. The chapter dispenses compact knowledge regarding anthraquinones aspotential bioactive agents and their use as a therapeutic/health product.