Bioactive Compounds and Biological Activities of the Genus Chiliadenus

Genus Chiliadenus belonging to Asteraceae family has long been utilized in Mediterranean traditional medicine for its documented anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial attributes. Despite this historical significance, systematic scientific investigation of this genus remains relatively scarce, necessitating a thorough synthesis of current knowledge regarding its phytochemical composition and pharmacological profile. This review consolidates existing literature on Chiliadenus species, with particular emphasis on their secondary metabolite constituents including flavonoids, terpenes, and volatile essential oils and their corresponding biological activities. Current evidence demonstrates substantial alignment between traditional therapeutic applications and experimentally validated pharmacological effects reported in the literature, thereby establishing Chiliadenus as a promising candidate for pharmaceutical drug development. Nonetheless, significant knowledge gaps persist, particularly the absence of comparative phytochemical and pharmacological analyses across Chiliadenus species, combined with limited in vivo experimental data and clinical evidence. Comparative phytochemical investigations among species could prove instrumental in identifying chemotypes with distinct metabolic profiles and elucidating how quantitative and qualitative variations in secondary metabolite biosynthesis influence respective pharmacological potency and spectrum. This review underscores the critical necessity for expanded research endeavors including comparative phytochemistry, in vivo pharmacological models, and clinical trials to substantiate the therapeutic efficacy of Chiliadenus species and facilitate their integration into evidence-based therapeutic applications.