Plants of the Suregada Roxb. ex Rottler (formerly Gelonium Roxb. ex Willd) are utilized to treat various ailments, namely, hepatic, gum diseases, pyrexia, eczema, and venereal diseases. This review links the reported compounds to ethnomedicinal uses through pharmacological activities. The compounds possess anticancer, anti-allergic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-HIV properties. From the previous reports, 32 known species of the Suregada genus have been investigated morphologically, and nine were investigated for their phytochemistry and pharmacology. Phytochemistry, ethnomedicinal, and pharmacological uses of the other 23 Suregada species are not known and/or not reported. In this review, abietane diterpenoids are the main compounds expressed by the Suregada, accounting for 71 of the 114 reported compounds. Ten triterpenoids and sterols, one aliphatic, two lignans, five flavonoids, and twenty-one nitrogen-containing compounds have been reported from the genus.
Keywords: Euphorbiaceae; Suregada; ethnomedicine; pharmacological uses; phytochemistry.