A Review on Classification and Biological Activities of Alkaloids from the Genus Zanthoxylum Species.

Many plants in the genus Zanthoxylum, belonging to the Rutaceae family, are recorded as folk medicines for the treatment of various diseases, which attracts much attention for their phytochemical and pharmacological activity investigations. Alkaloids are the largest secondary metabolites with structurally diverse types found in this genus and they demonstrate a wide range of biological activities. The aim of this review is to provide a summary on the isolation, classification, and biological properties of the alkaloids from Zanthoxylum species, which also will bring more attention to other researchers for further biological study on alkaloids for the new drug development.