"REVIEW ON BIOACTIVITY SCREENING OF CLAUSENA DENTATA AND ITS MEDICINAL USES"

Clausena dentata (Willd.) M. Roem., a member of the Rutaceae family, is a key medicinal plant used in indigenous healing traditions to treat inflammation, microbial infections, wounds, fever, and gastrointestinal issues. Recent research has ramped up to validate these uses through detailed phytochemical and bioactivity studies. This review pulls together and critically examines the literature on C. dentata's chemical makeup, pharmacological effects, and healing potential. Phytochemical studies uncover a rich array of bioactive compounds—like flavonoids, coumarins, alkaloids, carbazole derivatives, phenolics, and essential oils—that drive its wide-ranging benefits. Bioassays show strong antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, hepatoprotective, and cytotoxic activities in extracts and isolated compounds. Flavonoids and carbazole alkaloids stand out for their free radical scavenging and antimicrobial prowess, backing traditional uses. In vitro and in vivo work points to roles in tackling oxidative stress and inflammation-related conditions. That said, while the results are promising, we still lack thorough toxicity tests and human clinical trials. This review spotlights C. dentata's therapeutic promise, flags key research gaps, and calls for more work to discover new compounds, uncover how they work, and prove their safety and effectiveness for drugs and nutraceuticals.